Guyana Chronicle E paper - 24 05 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

THURSDAY

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24th May, 2018

16 TIP victims rescued No.105284

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Start small, grow big

…Business summit tackles youth unemployment

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$400M needed to fix City Hall

…EU funds restoration, conservation plan PAGE

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Free up interregional trade

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…CDB bemoans sloth in implementation of trade facilitation agenda

Appeal filed against jailing of man with 8.6 grams of ganja

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Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo surrounded by youths examines some of the books on display at the Youth Business Summit (Adrian Narine photo)

Mother dies after giving birth at NA Hospital PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

16 TIP victims rescued

Some 16 suspected victims of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) were on Tuesday removed from a Kitty, Georgetown house and taken into police custody and subsequently protective care, Tanisha Williams-Corbin, Coordinator of the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit at the Ministry of Social Protection has confirmed.

Williams-Corbin told Guyana Chronicle Wednesday while she can confirm the raid; she was not at liberty to provide a detailed account of what transpired as the matter is being investigated by the Police. “I can confirm that

the police did a raid and 16 young ladies were rescued as suspected victims of trafficking,” she disclosed noting that her department is awaiting a report from the police on the matter.

“We are awaiting the police to tell us what exactly is happening and so only then we’d be able to confirm whether they are victims of TIP.” According to Williams-Corbin, the “young ladies” who are in protective care are non-nationals. She declined to state their nationalities. “At this point in time I cannot disclose their nationalities because investi-

gations are ongoing,” she said.

However, Guyana Chronicle understands that the women are nationals of the Dominican Republic, and Cuba.

Meanwhile, information reaching Guyana Chronicle suggests that three of the 16 ladies in protective custody reportedly escaped from the safe house provided by the Ministry of Social Protection. When asked to comment, Williams-Corbin said, “At this time I would

Tanisha Williams-Corbin, Coordinator of the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit

not be able to comment on that.”

She assured however that the women are in protective care as investigations continue.

Meanwhile, in January this year, some 41 foreign nationals believed to be nightclub dancers, and eight employees of the Diamond Hotel and Night Club were taken into custody following a raid by the police. That operation was led by the Major Crimes Unit with support from other agencies. The authorities had conducted investigations into

whether the foreign nationals were trafficked.

Illegally operated strip clubs have come in sharp focus over the last few years, with a number of raids being conducted by both the Police Force and the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Unit of the Ministry of Social Protection. The government of Guyana has launched an aggressive campaign against TIP here since taking office in May 2015.

Violent vendor has chance to cool off A VENDOR was remanded to prison on Wednesday by Magistrate Fabayo Azore on a robbery charge.

It is alleged that on May 19, 2018 at East Ruimveldt, Ricky Boodhoo robbed Devika Knights of one cell phone valued $37,000 and one gold chain valued

$30,000.

The 36-year-old man pleaded guilty to the charge and explained to the court that he and the virtual complainant shared a relationship and he took care of her two kids. They had a misunderstanding because she was always on the phone. He

also told the court he did not know about any gold chain but he was willing to help pay for it.

According to the facts that were presented by the police prosecutor, the defendant and the complaint shared a relationship and because the defendant asked to speak

with her and she refused, he snatched the chain from her, took away the phone and dealt her several slaps.

An alarm was raised and Boodhoo was arrested.

Bail was refused by the magistrate and Boodhoo was remanded to prison until June 27, 2018.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

Start small, grow big

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…Business summit tackles youth unemployment

By Vishani Ragober WITH youth unemployment still relatively high in Guyana, the Ministry of Social Cohesion through the Department of Youth launched an inaugural twoday Youth Business Summit, geared at creating an enterprising young population. And Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo has urged young entrepreneurs not to be afraid to start small and later grow their businesses.

The inaugural Youth Business Summit was launched at the Pegasus Hotel on Wednesday under the theme: “Bridging youth business leaders of tomorrow, today.”

The summit is geared at fostering community development and employment of youth in communities throughout Guyana.

It stresses the incorporation of Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Architecture, Archeology, Anthropology, the Arts, Mathematics and/or Spirituality (STEAMS), a concept birthed last year at the launch of Youth Week.

Delivering the feature address Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo who is also performing duties of the President said the summit is geared towards empowerment and education, noting that one cannot become an engineer, a teacher, a business person or entrepreneur without the requisite guidance, training, knowledge and exposure. He said it is the embracing of opportunities for education, networking, skills-enhancement and overall empowerment that will allow youths in particular to fully realise the fundamental human right to the enjoyment of work.

Mr Nagamootoo reminded the gathering that not long after the coalition took office in May 2015, Government completed the drafting of a National Youth Policy, which was the final result of several years of research studies.

The policy, he said defines youths as persons between the ages of 14 and 35, who make up some 68% of our population. “However, when we came to office there were no statistics on how many of our youth population had no jobs, or couldn’t get support to start their own businesses.

But the Caribbean Develop-

ment Bank in 2015 issued a report under the title “Youth are our future” that placed unemployment in the Region amongst youth at around 40%, which was probably also the level for Guyana. “ The Prime Minister said about the same period, CARICOM governments commissioned an analysis of opportunities and challenges facing youths in the Region.

Its report, Eye on the Future: Investing in Youth NOW for Tomorrow’s Community, highlighted rising youth crimes, unemployment and drugs use. It launched a Caribbean Community Youth Development Action Plan,

fied that the Department of Youth, guided by Minister Dr. George Norton has a handle on the main issues that stand in the way of our young people. One of the items in the document is that “many young entrepreneurs are unaware of the challenges they might face when establishing a new business, and how to surmount those challenges.

Networking, in this regard, can be very beneficial.”

Further, Mr Nagamootoo said the summit will make capital available for a carefully selected few who will be subject to processes and procedures. Once criteria are satisfied, some participants

to take full advantage of all opportunities for skills training and to be competent managers of businesses, however small. He said besides opportunities here in Guyana, scholarships and training have been negotiated with several countries such as Mexico, India and China, to help provide relevant exposure for your growth, development and, ultimately, your freedom of choice and enjoyment of work.

The door to education and opportunities has been opened to give, according to President Granger, Access, Attendance and Achievements – the Triple A Policy.

Minister of Social Cohesion addressing the youth business summit (Adrian Narine photo)

which placed emphasis on encouraging youth entrepreneurship.

At a 2016 United Nations Panel discussion on “human rights, youth and employment” held in Canada, it was noted that our planet never had such a large number of young people between 10 and 24 years of age, and that creating decent, quality work was one of the challenges shared by all States.

OUT OF THE COLD He said in Guyana, the administration has recognised that our youths must be brought out from the cold, and into the social, economic and political processes of the State, which is often the arena of boiling hot controversies. “But our young people cannot be left outside or left behind. They have to push at every door of opportunity to be employed, self-employed or to start a business venture.”

He said he had seen the Rationale Document for this summit and was satis-

will be able to access capital at this forum.

THE REQUISITE TOOLS This forum aims to provide you with the resources, tools, networking opportunities and training that can provide for success in entrepreneurship and success as an employed professional in a field of your choice. You may have an interest in learning how to find a mentor, how to access loans, how to understand national support systems and procedures in Government, how to learn a new skill – whether by way of the Ministry of Business, the Department of Youth, the Public Service College, the University of Guyana – whichever the method – seize this opportunity to understand what is available and how you can best prepare yourself for the ambition that drives you.

TRAINING Additionally, Mr Nagamootoo urged the youths

Then, to help you get through the Triple As, President Granger had rolled out the 4 Bs Policy -- boats, buses, bicycles and books. Today, our young people can transition to the Cs Policy – of entering Commerce, accessing Cash as grant, Credits and business Counselling. This Summit therefore is of critical importance to encourage youth empowerment and to realise that vision of the Youth Policy in a nation where all young people are “safe, healthy and included in society”.

RESPONSIBILITY Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, highlighted that “business is not easy”. He, however, sought to encourage young people to learn responsible business practices.

Minister Gaskin also said that his ministry and the government generally will seek to promote an enterprising population that can create jobs for themselves. To do so, however, the government

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo delivering remarks at the opening ceremony (Adrian Narine photo)

has been fostering measures to provide forums for education and channels to access capital.

While the youth business forum is one programme which provides leeway for youths to become edified and to possibly score startup grants for well-developed proposals, the prime minister noted that the government has taken steps to reduce the level of youth unemployment in Guyana.

“Guyana has partnered with several international bodies and has sought funding to help kick-start youth businesses,” he related.

PRODUCTIVE DRIVE Further, he stressed that embedded in youths is the drive to be productive and they must be placed at the centre of Guyana’s development.

“The aspirations of our young people to be independent breadwinners, homemakers and successful business owners have been captured in our national youth policy which guides the advancement and empowerment of youths in the political, social, cultural, and economic spheres with the aim of placing them at the centre of Guyana’s development,” he advanced.

He also identified President Granger’s Triple A Policy: Access, Attendance and Achievement and the Four Bs Policy: Boats, buses, bicycles and books as programmes put in place to advance youth development. Now, adding to the impetus being placed on entrepreneurship the three Cs Policy: Commerce; accessing Cash as grants and credits and business Counselling, has been touted.

Using these tenets as

transition mechanisms, the prime minister advanced that this summit is therefore of critical importancem to encourage youth empowerment and to realise that vision of the youth policy of a nation where all young people are safe, healthy and included in society.

Adding to the prime minister’s sentiments, Minister of Social Cohesion, George Norton, reminded that when the coalition government took office, it promised the nation to create jobs, particularly for the youths.

“It is with this effort in mind -- that promise we made -- that recently we took a green paper to Cabinet on the establishment of a National Youth Service,” Norton said.

“This National Youth Service would be under the remit of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and all the different projects and projects that might be on stream at this point in time would come under what is referred to as the Common Core Curriculum,” the minister remarked.

This would focus concerted efforts on developing youth in all spheres, including employment.

The Department of Youth called for a maximum of 100 participants a few weeks prior to the summit, which was structured around providing those participants with a channel to inculcate and hone business capacities and proposals and translate them into feasible projects that would add to community development.

The summit will culminate on Thursday with participants presenting their business proposals to a panel to possibly receive start-up capital.

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PM stresses rehabilitation, reform -- against imprisonment for possession of small amounts of marijuana

By Vishani Ragobeer AMID clarion calls for decriminalisation of marijuana, Prime Minister and acting President Moses Nagamootoo has stressed the importance of rehabilitation and reform of people found with small amounts of the substance rather than imprisonment.

The recent jailing of a 27-year-old father of three, Carl Mangal, for the possession of eight grams of marijuana has prompted many to call for the reform of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act. Mangal was sentenced to three years in prison and fined $30,000, through the act which carries a fine and jail time of no less than three years and no more than five years for possession of the substance.

Addressing a gathering of young entrepreneurs at

the Ministry of Social Cohesion’s inaugural Youth Business Summit, the prime minister made clear his position on the matter.

“We have to not condone the use of illicit drugs but we have to make sure that we deal with it in a compassionate and realistic way so that you do not send our young people to jail but to help to rehabilitate and reform them,” he said.

In addition to this, he noted that future violations of the law should be dealt with in a way that is structured to allow offenders to “make life better”, rather than being confined.

At the time, Nagamootoo was reflecting on the challenges affecting youth in Guyana and in the Caribbean and he shared the findings of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Commission on Youth Development 2010 report.

The report, Eye on the future: Investing in Youth Now for Tomorrow’s Community, highlighted rising youth crime, unemployment and drug use and abuse as challenges for Caribbean youth.

According to the prime minister, governments are mandated to address these issues. Youth entrepreneurship was touted as an area that should be encouraged.

The prime minister noted that the process of amending the marijuana laws would require broad consultation involving all stakeholders in society.

He explained that some sections of society may be wary about amending the laws to allow for the decriminalisation of small amounts of the substance since it may open the floodgates for further offences but others are less conservative.

“So you’ll have to deal with some of feelings in

society as well as attitudes and then you have to do consultations,” he said as he noted that these consultations should include Opposition members since a divided position on the revision of the law is unwanted.

While addressing questions on the progress of amending the law, which has been repeatedly called for, the acting President, said “Progress cannot be determined only at the level of amending the law, progress has to be on the basis of the inclusion of society.”

He reflected on his time learning from the Rastafarian community where he was convinced that the use of the “herbs” was “part and parcel of their cultural traditions”.

“So there are different types of usages of the substances and in Guyana people need to be educated on what is used and what is abused,” Nagamootoo said.

Thursday, May 24, 2018 01:00 hrs - 13:00 hrs Tuesday, May 25, 2018 02:00 hrs - 13:30 hrs Wednesday, May 26, 2018 03:00 hrs - 14:30 hrs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, May 24, 2018

Cubana bombing suspect dies

Luis Posada spent years in jail, first in Venezuela, later in Panama

LUIS Posada Carriles, a Cuban-born former CIA agent who dedicated much of his life to trying to overthrow the communist government on the island, has died in Florida aged 90.

Mr Posada Carriles was one of the fiercest enemies of the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro. He took part in the failed US-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and was accused of bringing down an airliner.

Considered a terrorist by Cuba, he was a hero to many exiled Cubans. His lawyer said Mr Posada Carriles died at “a government home for veterans” in Miramar, Florida, after developing throat cancer.

Born in Cuba in 1928, he fled the island after the 1959 communist revolution which brought Fidel Castro to power.

After serving in the US army, he was recruited by the CIA in 1965 and is reported to have worked for the agency until 1976.

‘MOST HATED MAN’ The BBC’s Cuba correspondent Will Grant says that Mr Posada Carriles was by far one of the most hated figures in Cuba for his alleged role in the bombing of a Cuban passenger jet in 1976.

All 73 people on board were killed when bombs exploded on the jet off the coast of Barbados - including the entire Cuban youth fencing team, which was returning from a regional competition. At the time of the bombing, Mr Posada Carriles was living in Venezuela, where according to declassified US intelligence files he was working as an informant in Venezuela’s intelligence service. An international investigation pointed to Mr Posada Carriles as being the mastermind of the Cubana airlines bombing but a military court acquitted him. However, he was jailed pending a civilian trial but escaped from prison in 1985 and travelled to Central America, where he continued his mission to fight against left-wing influence in Latin America.

Hunter and hunted Throughout his career, he gained many enemies and in 1990, gunmen shot him in the chest and face in Guatemala.

Cuban Americans protest Raul Castro leaving office as Cuba’s president and Miguel Diaz Canel named as the new president, in Little Havana neighbourhood in Miami, Florida, U.S., April 19, 2018.Image copyright Reuters He survived the attack, which is believed to have been carried out by Cuban government agents. In the following years he was accused of planning a string of bombings in Cuban hotels which killed an Italian tourist, and was arrested for taking part in a conspiracy to kill Fidel Castro during a summit in Panama in 2000. He spent four years in a Panamanian jail before being pardoned by then-President Mireya Moscoso. In 2005, he entered the US illegally and applied for political asylum. His application came back to haunt him when he was accused of lying to immigration officers about how he got into the US. He was acquitted in 2011 and spent the remaining years of his life in the US. (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, May 24, 2018

Barbadians vote for new government …amid economic concerns

BLP Leader, Mia Mottley

By Peter Richards BRIDGETOWN-Barbados-(CMC) –Barbadians go to the polls on Thursday to elect a new government amid growing economic concerns and the possibility of choosing a woman for the first time to lead a government in this Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

“We have done this country proud over the last 10 years, we have had to govern Barbados in the most challenging decade the western world has seen since the great depression and we have managed to not only keep Barbados stable but to ensure that those basic amenities to which Barbadians have become accustomed were made available to them on an uninterrupted basis,” said Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, 66, who is leading his ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) into a general election for the second consecutive occasion.

But his main challenger, Mia Mottley, 52, an attorney, who heads the main opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP), has dismissed Stuart’s record of achievement, telling voters that she is prepared to implement the stringent policies, including taking the island to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in a bid to turn around the ailing economy. “I said it before that we would do whatever is necessary, that is legal and moral, to rescue this country. Does that mean going to the IMF? It may, we don’t know. But when we get the results in the first few days (of taking office), we will be able to make the judgement,” said Mottley.

The Central Bank of Barbados (CBB) earlier this month said that the local economy had contracted by an estimated 0.7 per cent during the first quarter of this year and warned that the outlook “remains challenging”. CBB Governor, Cleviston Haynes, in a review of Barbados’ economic performance in the first quarter of 2018, said that the performance reflects the combined impact of a decline in real output in the tourism sector, the slowing of construction activity, the late start to the annual sugar

harvest and the slowdown of domestic demand arising from the budgetary measures announced in the May 2017 budget. The CBB said that while the supply of foreign exchange was more than adequate to meet market demand on a timely basis during the quarter, “higher public sector debt service obligations than usual contained the growth of international reserves at the Central Bank to BDS$14 million (One Barbados dollar = US$0.50 cents) for the period”.

The Central Bank said that decisive stabilisation measures that place the public finances on a sustainable path, alter the trajectory for the international reserves and create the conditions for strong durable growth are now needed in order to deal with the challenges ahead for the local economy.

But Stuart maintains that his administration has done much to revitalise the economy and has warned voters not to take a chance with their future.

GIVEAWAYS “Having said that Barbados is in the poorest state that it has ever been in, since Universal Adult Suffrage or since Independence, the Barbados Labour Party is now coming to give the impression to the people, that the same Barbados that is on its knees, can afford all the give-aways that they are promising.

“Mia Mottley has stood up in the House of Assembly on many occasions and said that the problem with Barbados is that we are running a government that we cannot afford. And although we can’t afford it, according to her, she is now coming with measures that would require us to spend even more than is being spent now. But, spending more by earning less,” he told party supporters.

However, Mottley, who is aiming to emulate the late Dame Eugenia Charles of Dominica, Janet Jagan of Guyana, Portia Simpson Miller in Jamaica and Kamla Persad Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago in heading governments in a predominately male dominated Caribbean political landscape, insists that “change is in sight in this country. “I have not come to lie to the people of Barbados, I have come to talk to you and with you . . . All that we have seen is that Freundel Stuart would do anything to be able to say that, ‘I did not go to the IMF. I did not carry Barbados to the IMF,’ she added.

The election here on Thursday is already historic for more than one reason.

Stuart himself said that “history is not made by things

happening the same way all the time” and that it is “made by doing things differently” as he defended the decision not to name a date for the general election when the Parliament was automatically dissolved earlier this year. “I did not dissolve it deliberately and of course, the experts have been giving expressions of their surprise. This is the first time in Barbados history that a Parliament was allowed to stand dissolved by the effluxion of time, that is how history is made,” he said.

The 2018 election has attracted a record 135 candidates representing various political parties and independents. There are 37 women and 98 men and for the first time in Barbados political history, two political parties, the BLP and United Progressive Party (UPP) are being led into an election by women.

30 CONSTITUENCIES However, despite the increased number of political parties and candidates, only the DLP and the BLP have nominated candidates to contest all 30 constituencies, with some such as the Barbados Integrity Movement (BIM), fielding just one candidate.

The courts have also featured in the run-up to the general election. Commonwealth citizens, who have been resident here for more than three years went as far as the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) – Barbados highest court – seeking to have their names included on the voters list.

“The long standing policy of the Electoral and Boundaries Commission in relation to Commonwealth citizens to register as electors … is unlawful and ultra vires. The Court is satisfied that on the basis of judicial finding pronounced in this matter, which has not been appealed, the applicant has satisfied the necessary legal and regulatory conditions for registration as an elector,” The CCJ ruled, threatening to jail the Chief Electoral Officer, Angela Taylor, if she failed to obey the ruling.

No public opinion poll has been released here, less than 96 hours before the general population cast their ballot at the polling stations across the island. But political commentators say that history does not really favour the DLP in the election. They noted that never in the history of this Caribbean island since it attainted political independence from Britain in 1996, has a government failed to obtain anything more than a 10-year term in office.

Director of the Barba-

dos-based Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES), Peter Wickham, who has conducted several polls throughout the region, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that, while no official poll has been commissioned, he believes there will be a change in government.

“Historically, the Barbados Labour Party has on average received a four to five per cent swing and if they are able to get at least that as an average performance historically, you looking at an additional four to five seats. “But my sense is that they will get considerably more than a five per cent swing,” he told CMC, noting that there seems to be widespread support for Mottley in succeeding Stuart as the new head of government.

CREATE HISTORY But he also acknowledged that if the DLP is able to “mitigate that swing and achievement any improvement in its fortunes it would create history in as much the same way the BLP did in 1999”. Stuart came to office after succeeding David Thompson, who died on 23 October 2010 and three years later, Barbadian voters kept with tradition and provided the incumbent DLP party with a second consecutive term in power following a nerve jangling general elections.

On that occasion, Stu-

art’s DLP won by a 16-14 margin, defeating former Prime Minister Owen Arthur, who has now warned that regardless of which political party forms the new government on Thursday, stringent policies will have to be implemented to resuscitate the ailing economy.

“There are fundamental issues concerning the economy that Barbados has to address: I do not think that people quite appreciate what is the importance of the last report of the governor of the Central Bank,” Arthur, 68, one of the longest serving prime ministers, told a press conference. Arthur, who announced his retirement from politics earlier this year, said the incoming government will have to “invent an alternative reality… any government that wants to be serious… cannot talk in terms of coming into office and taking the people (for a ride)…

“You cannot give away what you do not have, and unless something is done quickly to stabilise this economy, the Barbados economy is going to go under.” The BLP is promising not to devalue the island’s currency, leaving it pegged at the exchange rate of two dollars to one United States dollar.

However, it has said that the strategy for boosting foreign exchange reserves would have “many facets.

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart

“We will prohibit the Central Bank from printing money without parliamentary approval. We will allow all who earn foreign exchange to keep foreign currency accounts in local banks. We will attract new inward investment through a range of of policies including developing Heritage Bridgetown as a Smart and Creative City…we will incentivise the private sector to build new islands off Barbados,” the party has promised in its manifesto. For its part, the DLP is promising to reduce the tax burdens on citizens by “growing the economy.

“As the economy grows, tax collections from wages and salaries and from the sale of goods and services will increase. Government revenue therefore rises without further increases in tax rates. Sustained growth in the economy and in tax collections will enable government to actually reduce tax rates over time,” the DLP said.

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Editorial

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, May 24, 2018

It is a national effort THERE will always be political commentators, opposition political parties, including those that have been defeated, and other interest groups who will have their respective views of a government in office, and how well or not it has been performing, particularly with regard to delivering on its many promises. In any democratic state this is to be expected. In fact, any wise government that is genuinely concerned about its quality of governance will pay attention to such comments.

However, be it as it may, it has often been found that while some of these views are meant to be constructive for the genuine good of country, others are of an unmistakable clear political agenda. For such a category, no amount of government successes in terms of the realisation of national socio-economic projects/plans will ever be good enough, or be satisfactory.

This type of politics, of course, does exist in Guyana; for it is part of the daily political discourse, fed to the national readership/ viewership. And given our peculiar brand of politics, it is always going to be which side of that particular political plateau one stands.

It is well known that the current coalition - A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) - government took office with immediate challenges that entailed both instant and far-reaching consequences for the nation. These were outlined in editorial recently, but will again be done for those who are selective in their criticisms of the government: A bankrupt Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo); a serious threat to the nation’s territorial integrity by Venezuela; and Exxon’s discovery of oil.

These three are not only impacting and relate to significant issues, but would demand the total time of any executive, inclusive of Guyana. And since we have been aware of the national dynamics of the three very critical instances, they would not detain us here.

However, suffice it to say that while these issues still hold centre stage, there have been other challenges that must be taken into consideration when assessing government’s performance since its three years in office – such as dismantling the criminal state that Guyana became under the watch of the former PPP/C administration, and the systemic corruption that had

become so pervasive in the socio-economic life of Guyana; an orchestrated plan of slowing many of the national socio-economic development projects, that amounts to virtual sabotage; and non-cooperation from some of the PPP/C-controlled Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) which again has been politically inspired. These are only some of the huge challenges with which this government has had to contend. In short, one can conclude that the entire nation has been booby-trapped; and beset by many “dark holes’’ as described by a very senior functionary.

Thus, given what this current government encountered on its ascension to office, in addition to a decided opposition-backed strategy of non-cooperation from many of its constituencies and the implications that each holds for the national good, the subsequent fulfilment of most of its manifesto promises and its overall performance scorecard since 2015 – its three-year index, have to be lauded in every sense for what it has achieved, against great odds.

And whilst there would have been mistakes along the way, there is always room for improvement, as it is a given that every government

will err, and should seek to make amends.

Therefore, for David Hinds, a well-known columnist/activist/and political commentator in his Kaieteur News column piece of May 20 titled, “After three years, we are back to square one”, “The big question is why has a government from which so much was expected, delivered so little”, is to miss a salient fact, and the bigger picture, especially that which derives from the coalition government’s post - May 2015 strategy.

Hinds must be reminded that any politically astute government will first of all seek to fulfil its election campaign promises as per manifesto, as alluded to above. And again, most have been fulfilled, including the holding of historic Local Government Elections, and the passage of the AML/CFT BILL. Second, given Guyana’s former, well known instances of glaring imbalances in so many critical social spheres, such as awarding of academic post-graduate scholarships; many communities not having roads, electricity and water, but only now for the first time; re-configuring the national housing programmes to satisfy demand, from the former position where

As Guyanese let us put aside petty political dif erences Dear Editor,

IT is my firm belief that our attitude towards this nation will determine its destiny. Attitude is an internal belief system that determines our perspective and practice.

Guyana has been endowed with the necessary natural resources and conditions for this nation to be developed into one of the top countries in this part of the hemisphere. The recent find of large deposits of oil off the Stabroek Block has further poised Guyana for massive growth and development; but regardless of the wealth that is discovered in our land, sea and forest, these discoveries will not make us great as a nation. Unless we come to

a place of having the right attitude towards one another and the development of our nation, the level of development and success that can be accomplished will continue to elude us.

I must applaud the present and past administrations for their efforts to see the developmental potential that this nation is capable of, but there is only so much the Government can do. I believe that it is the positive attitude and patriotism of the people of any nation that dictate the level of growth and development, since attitude dictates altitude.

As Guyanese, let us put aside petty political differences, racial disharmony, diatribe and negative projections. It is time for us

to think more positively about the destiny of our nation, talk more constructive and use our energies towards the course of development for this dear land God has blessed us with. This quote from a young Nigerian, whose patriotism and commitment to the development of his country has earned him the nicknamed ‘Mr. Nigerian’, best sums up my appeal: “What we need now is a nation of great people who positively live to impact others and build enduring legacies” – Fela Dewotoye.

A nation is as great as its people, so let us thrive as individuals to make the change and be the change we want to see. It is difficult but possible.

As we get ready to celebrate fifty two years of independence, this can serve as a sobering time of introspection for us as a nation as to where we were, where we are and where we are heading. I appeal to my fellow Guyanese with the quote uttered by John F. Kennedy, to close his inaugural speech, some fifty seven years ago, but has not lost its profundity: “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country”-John F.Kennedy.

May God continue to bless this dear land of ours. Happy Independence to all Guyanese.

Regards Bishop Joseph Inniss

house-lot applicants were hoping and waiting for close to two decades, and implementing empowerment programmes in Amerindian communities – these, it is contended, would have been priorities, given what the incoming administration did face. And if, as he seems to have alluded that these may be “routine things” that are done by governments, then he must be aware that their absence would have caused untold hardships and deprivation to those affected; but that since the remedial actions, life has been much improved, with a better positive for the future; especially on the part of young would-be professionals.

But since then, there have been other numerous achievements in every sector which seeks to improve not only the quality of life and services for the Guyanese people, but also that which has continued to set the stage for the better life.

It is a work in progress. It is not an over-night process, as some would seem to believe.

The transformation that Hinds mentions is a steady work in progress. It is in its embryonic stage, gradually taking shape. We have no doubt that national cohesion as a conceptual vehicle for national unity and which practical and meaningful message is beginning to attract national attention, stands at the heart of any transformation envisaged for this nation. But this can only be achieved when the poison of divisiveness through ethnic politics ceases on the part of its anti-national purveyors.

This is what the historic May 15 victory at the polls had been all about – a new day. It is a national undertaking, for all political leaders and their parties, and not just the coalition government alone.

Appalled by the private sector’s gall Editor, ALLOW me a little space in your publication to comment on an issue relating to the private sector and its fear that investor confidence could be damaged by the fact that former ministers and high ranking officials are being charged with alleged crimes of the past.

Let me say this at the very outset Mr. Editor, that I am quite taken aback by the gall this group has to express fears that criminal charges for wrongdoing in the past could affect the way foreign investors view my beloved Guyana.

Please remember that this same group had remained very quiet while NICIL and the past two cabinets farmed out state assets to friends and family. In some cases, procurement rules were glaringly ignored or breached. Yet when a new Government moves to recoup these resources or charge offending officials for their activities of the past, charges of political victimization are proffered.

I see no real effort at victim-

ization as the Coalition had made it clear during the last elections campaign that they would have been going after the so-called “Fat Cats”. Now that they are, labels like victimization and racial discrimination are being shouted from rooftops. I think that the image of Messrs Ashni Singh and Winston Brassington in handcuffs have shaken the confidence of some in society to the very core.

The threats of 30 more charges have also triggered fear.

As the older folks from a previous generation used to say-do nothing, fear nothing. The private sector should not worry too much about the impact criminal charges could have on the country as SARA has not even got its act together as yet. For now they are only being exposed to SOCU, so I suggest that we all brace for impact.

Regards Peter Joseph Naresh Singh Francis Hoppie

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, May 24, 2018

GuySuCo slams Kaieteur News ridiculous articles on price-fixing Dear Editor,

THE Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo) is disappointed that the Kaieteur News has allowed its media agency to be used repeatedly by forces whose motives seems to be intended to destabilize the corporation, bring the management into disrepute and cause irreparable damage to the business. Since December, 2017, and particularly, over the past weeks, the newspaper has been publishing information which is being twisted and manipulated for the purpose stated above.

On 16 May, an article was published titled ‘Probe launched into price-fixing racket at GuySuCo’. Then on 17 May, another was titled ‘Tip of the iceberg…Local sugar distribution was manipulated to favour GuySuCo friends’, another on 20 May, titled ‘In four years, GuySuCo spends over US$11M on outdated spare parts’ and on 22 May, ‘GuySuCo has over $3B in outdated Fiat tractor spares in stock -- growing evidence of massive procurement fraud over time’. The corporation has absolutely no difficulty with the publishing of its information. However, it is concerned as to the source and

intention of the source of the information, as well as the fact that the Kaieteur News seems not to be interested in seeking clarity from the corporation before publication.

It was reported on 16 May, that a probe was launched into what the newspaper calls a ‘price-fixing racket’. The corporation would like to state that no probe was launched, since there was no illegality done relative to price or any other aspect of the business. It is important to note that GuySuCo manages a business and makes decisions based on the best available prices and also to secure longstanding markets, based on the capacity and other considerations relative to its distributors and customers.

Pricing is dependent on market conditions and volume and at times in order to secure a market, temporary adjustments may be required to remain competitive, globally and regionally. Regarding local sales, given the prices that could be obtained elsewhere, it makes better business sense at times to increase our local sales; for example, the corporation may decide to sell more sugar on the local market than on the world market. For instance, the current world market prices are less than 50% of what the corporation

would get on the local market; the world market price per tonne of sugar on 22 May was US$255 per tonne while on the local market the price is over US$500 per tonne.

With reference to the article published on 17 May, titled ‘Tip of the iceberg…Local sugar distribution was manipulated to favour GuySuCo friends’, which stated that one of the Corporation’s distributors does not have a bond at De Willem, this information is grossly inaccurate; the bond is in existence at De Willem.

In relation to the articles which stated that ‘In four years, GuySuCo spends over US$11M on outdated spare parts’ and ‘GuySuCo has over $3B in outdated Fiat tractor spares in stock--growing evidence of massive procurement fraud over time’.

These articles are erroneous and mischievous, to say the least, and exposes the limited knowledge of the source of the information, on the scale of the operation of GuySuCo; as well as the limited research done before publishing same.

The corporation’s total inventory is G$3.6 Billion of which G$61M is Fiat spares, therefore the US$11M (G$2.6 billion) and the G$3 billion in outdated Fiat tractor spares reported, is ridiculous and highly

malicious.

The article on 20 May, stated that ‘Kaieteur News recently perused the inventory list of spare parts that GuySuCo bought during 2008 and 2012…according to the list, GuySuCo spent over 2.3 billion on various pieces of spare equipment’. The same article stated that ‘the majority of the outdated spares were bought in 2008’. If the Kaieteur News had given GuySuCo the courtesy and enquired, it would have been discovered that in 2008, the corporation changed its computer system to ‘Oracle’ Inventory software.

Hence, in 2008, entries of the items which were in the inventory at the time, were made into the new software, as such, if one looks at the list of inventory, it reflects 2008 for receipt of these items, reflecting the entry onto the software and not when they were bought, as stated by the newspaper article.

Another point to note is that when an estate closes, the inventory of that estate is transferred to another estate.

Thus in 2012 when the La Bonne Intention (LBI) estate

closed, a large amount of spares were transferred to the Enmore Estate inventory.

Over the years, spares were also transferred from Leonora and Diamond estates, to the inventory of other estates.

Further, on the point of spares, it is important to note that the parent company--Case New Holland-- (CNH), produces Case harvesters, New Holland tractors and Ford tractors, all of which are included in the corporation’s fleet of machinery, hence the need for Fiat spares which are compatible with and are used in the New Holland tractors as well as in the Fiat tractors. In addition, the industry still has Fiat tractors which are operational in cane transport, mill dock operations and drain digging, contrary to what is reported in the Kaieteur News articles.

Also, it is important to note that in any industry such as ours, in engineering, it is recommended that 10% running spares are available in inventory for effective maintenance and operations; this is 10% of the capital cost of the equipment. Based on the scale of the operations of the

corporation, the G$61M in Fiat spares in the inventory of GuySuCo is well below that 10% required.

The management of the corporation is well aware that its information is being twisted and manipulated and this is causing irreparable damage to the business. Since the publication of sensitive pricing information on the corporation, a price reduction is being sought by another large customer, citing the same reasons as the previous customer reported in one of the articles.

The management wishes to note that they are entrusted with the responsibility to manage a business, also the corporation has over 11,000 employees and is currently in a challenging transition period and they intend to manage and lead the corporation and its employees during this difficult period into a resilient and sustainable business and will not be deterred or become distracted.

Regards Audreyanna Thomas Corporate Communications Manager

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

Gold board seeks permanent office

THE Guyana Gold Board (GGB) on Tuesday said every effort is being made to find “permanent modern facilities” at a new location so as to ensure the safety of not only its workers but members of the public.

In a statement to the media issued via the Ministry of Natural Resources, the GGB sought to assure the public that health and safety remain paramount concerns to the entity as well as to the government.

As a result, “remedial actions are underway with a view to returning the situation to a state of normality in the shortest time possible”.

These include continuous testing for the presence of mercury, cleaning of the compound and equipment and fast-tracking arrangements for relocation of the GGB’s facilities and staff.

In April, the GGB was forced to close its Brickdam, Georgetown laboratory due to the high levels of mercury emissions in the compound.

The laboratory is used to burn amalgam to rid the gold of mercury. Mercury is mixed with gold, forming a mercury-gold amalgam which is then heated, vapourising the mercury to obtain the gold.

This process can be very dangerous and can lead to

significant mercury exposure and health risks.

Several workers of the GGMC were tested for high amounts of mercury in their bodies and have been sent home on sick leave. The incident, which resulted from a blockage in the laboratory’s chimney, saw 65 GGMC staff being sent home. The GGB is currently utilising the facilities of one of its licensed dealers temporarily to burn raw gold while thanking miners for their cooperation.

“We are moving ahead with plans for permanent modern facilities at a new location and at the appropriate time we will disclose the details of those arrangements. These discussions are engaging the highest levels of Government with a view to resolving the issues,” the statement said.

The GCB made it clear that it does not use mercury in any of its processes - as the Board deals with sponge gold and not amalgam gold. Amalgam gold is defined simply as an alloy of gold and mercury, with the gold dissolved into the mercury. The mercury, upon separation and removal from the raw gold, is then recycled.

On the other hand, sponge gold refers to a soft, yellow, corrosion-resistant element

Herstelling woman died from drowning - autopsy LILOUTIE Atwaroo called Mona, whose common-law husband allegedly forced her head into a trench at Plantation Walk, Herstelling New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, Monday night, died from drowning by compression to the neck, a postmortem report confirmed yesterday.

The body was handed over to relatives after Dr Nehaul Singh gave the cause of death of the 32-year-old woman. The suspected perpetrator remains in police custody as investigations continue.

Reports are that the couple lived together for a number of years at Herstelling but separated for about two months because of the man’s abusive behaviour. The woman later moved in with relatives at her father’s apartment.

Atwaroo reportedly left her father’s home on Monday night and went to visit her 38-year-old partner. Later, persons in the area heard her crying out for help and when they rushed to the scene, they

Liloutie Atwaroo called Mona

reportedly saw the man holding her down in a trench.

At the scene, a black cap, a slipper, a jersey and a black bag were found next to the woman’s body. An examination of the exposed parts of the body which were clad in a pair of blue jeans and black jersey, showed no marks of violence.

The woman’s body was taken to the Lyken Funeral Home.

Atwaroo’s reputed husband, who had fled the scene, was later apprehended.

Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman

said to be a malleable and ductile metal, which occurs in veins and alluvial deposits and which is recovered by mining, panning, or sluicing.

Meanwhile, last Friday, subject Minister Raphael Trotman was called upon to give the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources an update on the situation at the GCB and the health of the workers.

Trotman said a company has agreed to assist the GGB with finding “a new home”. Questioned on what can be deemed an “incestuous relationship” where the regulatory body is using the facility of a miner to carry out its functions, Trotman said, “It has been raised and we are satisfied and we have our

staff there; it is a temporary situation. We are actively scouting a few sites; it is only temporary.”

Staff of the GGMC is currently occupying a building in Subryanville, Georgetown, the minister disclosed. Meanwhile, Trotman indicated that there is a system set up to ensure that all workers receive the required medical attention. By virtue of examination from medical professionals, and collaboration with the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) some staff have been sent on sick leave and given medication. “As some go off, others come on. There have been disruptions at GGMC and the Gold Board,” he said adding that only administrative services

are being offered at GGMC’s Brickdam office.

Asked whether the incident was caused by staff incompetence or the breakdown of machinery, Trotman said the blocked chimney is regularly maintained but became blocked over a period of two days. He said, “It was maintained but not daily. It wasn’t any wanton or deliberate act.”

Trotman said too that his government has been looking to alternative measures to the use of mercury. He said his government is working with local and international stakeholders such as mining organisations, the UNDP and Conservation International (CI) to realise this objective.

Government’s intention is to work with miners to introduce new technologies for the safe recovery of gold, while highlighting the dangerous effects of mercury, Trotman posited.

Similarly, on Tuesday, GGB said it is in full support of the Guyana’s commitment to the Minamata Convention.

President David Granger had declared in 2017 that Guyana takes the protection of its environment very seriously and it is time for firmer action to be taken to prevent environmental degradation and loss of human lives.

“I think that it is very important because the reckless use of mercury could be harmful to the population and, of course, it can cause damage that would last a very long time. It is my intention not just to reduce, but to eliminate the use of mercury in the mining industry,” the President is quoted as saying. Guyana signed on to the Minamata Convention, which aims to reduce the risks of mercury around the world, in October 2013.

Trotman had reported to the Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources that there has been “an appreciable downturn” because of the negativity surrounding the incident. The GGB projects declarations to be 800,000 ounces with Licensed Gold Dealers 275,000 ounces, GGB-225,000 ounces, Guyana Gold Fields 200,000 ounces, Troy Resources 100,000 ounces.

Additionally, the GGB had projected for January to April 2018 purchases will be 96,000 ounces, while for the same period foreign sales will be 88,208 ounces with revenue in the sum of US$111,585,144.

‘Teach them a lesson’ … Gaskin backs charges against former ministers

THE government is doing the right thing to have the designated agencies investigate and charge any person who is in contravention of the law, whether it is a politician or commoner.

Political commentator and former Presidential Adviser, Ramon Gaskin, weighed in on what is now being described as a growing “hostile and confrontational climate” as cases and charges are increasing against former government officials for alleged malpractice in office.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has addressed the current occurrences, expressing fear that the clash of parliamentary parties is affecting investor confidence and making Guyana a risky investment location. Gaskin noted, however, that while some of the PSC’s concerns could be genuine, the body has no ethical ground from which it could speak.

In his invited comment,

Gaskin indicated that over the years, some of the body’s members have been involved in questionable situations. He said, “They (PSC) are not credible,” and any conversation they have with the political parties would have to do with encouraging the sides to work together since the court cases are under judicial consideration and cannot be discussed publicly.

The Russia-trained lawyer said, “It is whether they (PSC) have the moral authority to speak on these matters; they don’t.” The PSC grew in strength and prominence under the PPP administration which championed itself for economic growth through investment during its tenure. It was initially, suspicions of corruption claimed by the-then opposition that had seen them campaign ahead of the 2015 elections, to investigate and charge former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) members found to be in breach of the law.

The investigations, according to the government, have amounted to hundreds of cases. It was during these investigations also that former government ministers, officials, local business people and others were seen benefitting from “questionable” transactions conducted under the last government.

Gaskin acknowledged that chairman of the PSC and National Hardware owner, Eddy Boyer was one of those who benefitted from one of the alleged illegal transactions that landed the former Finance Minister Ashni Singh and then NICIL CEO Winston Brassington before the court.

It is alleged that Boyer, who is said to be close to the former government, has received prime state land below market value while other companies were made to pay extraordinarily more for property in the same location. Gaskin opined that such scenarios have tainted the

authenticity of the entire body, but does not prevent them from having an opinion.

“The government has every right to investigate any person in Guyana who steals state property. They have the right to investigate and place them before the court,” Gaskin charged.

He said that all Guyanese must be subjected to this treatment especially where the politicians are involved. Despite his belief that handcuffing the accused officials was done to embarrass them when they appeared before the court, Gaskin said it must be seen as a “lesson to all” that eventually their deeds do catch up with them.

Gaskin even opined that where former President Bharrat Jagdeo had claimed that questionable transactions were decided on by full Cabinet, they all should have been charged since there can be “no impunity for any illegal conduct”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

$400M needed to fix City Hall … EU funds restoration, conservation plan

By Telesha Ramnarine THE Mayor and City Council would need at least $400M to effectively restore the Georgetown City Hall to its pristine state, Town Clerk Royston King said yesterday, based on information collected some 10 years ago.

“Because the building continues to deteriorate, I think perhaps it will need a bit more than $400M,” King told reporters on the sidelines of an event to formulate a restoration and conservation plan for the historic building.

The European Union has teamed up with the National Trust of Guyana to fund a two-day stakeholder workshop for the Comprehensive Restoration Plan and Sustainable Conservation Management Plan for City Hall.

Following completion of the plan and its handing over to City Hall, Phase Two of the project will be to find funding to get the actual works done.

“Perhaps we will need to approach governmental agencies with this project; craft a plan to see how we can have funding because

the Council cannot fund this.

We are struggling to do even basic things at this point. We will need everyone to make a contribution as we move forward,” King expressed.

Based on a report obtained from City Engineer Colvern Venture, King said the most immediate works will include repairs to the roof and windows.

Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Guyana, Jernej Videti?, explained that the original physical and structural soundness of the building will be restored.

He referred to City Hall as Georgetown’s most iconic and outstanding building, and said that since the building is considered important to heritage, headway will soon be made with the project.

According to the ambassador, the final plan is expected to be completed and handed over to City Hall by the end of June.

Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase-Green said after many years of patience, she was happy and excited that the project is moving forward.

July 1 will make the

building 129 years old and it has been in occupational use by Chase-Green since 1994. She expressed how she watched the building deteriorate year after year but was helpless. “We had so many consultations and promises and so we became frustrated,” she said.

STATE OF DETERIORATION Chase-Green said they have been trying with the building for more than 20 years now and spoke about the extent of its deterioration by pointing out how pieces of the building are always falling off and shoe heels often stick in the floors.

She also described City Hall as a fire hazard and said with even a loose wire, it can go up in flames within a second. The Guyana Fire Service had advised M&CC officers to move out of the building but the workers were later told that it would have deteriorated faster if everyone left.

Director of Culture, Tamika Boatswain, offered that the Government of Guyana would like to express its gratitude to the European

Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Guyana, Jernej Videti, (right) shares a moment with other stakeholders involved in the restoration project.

Union for its commitment to the restoration of City Hall.

She said the project comes at an opportune time when the government is investing heavily in developing Guyana’s tourism potential; and buildings like City Hall are likely to attract lovers of wooden heritage to Georgetown.

“Guyana has lost many beautiful buildings because of the absence of a proper management plan. The New Amsterdam Hospital and the original Sacred Heart Church are

examples of heritage lost as direct results of the absence of good management plans,” she pointed out, adding, “The partnership between the European Union and Guyana is intended to realise the development of a comprehensive restoration and management plan for the Georgetown City Hall.

The Georgetown City Hall is one of the more unique colonial heritage buildings in Guyana and is an integral part of the identity of Georgetown.”

Nirvana Persaud, Chief Executive Officer of the National Trust of Guyana, said it is hoped that this will serve as a pilot project for future initiatives.

She disclosed that a detailed term of reference was created for the restoration of City Hall and for the City Engineer’s building. The plan will not only report on what needs fixing but also discuss an approach for getting things done, Persaud said.

Ophthalmology facility opens in old Mackenzie Hospital building RESIDENTS of the Upper Demerara Berbice Region, particularly the town of Linden, can now benefit from upgraded ophthalmology services with the establishment of a spanking new modern facility located in the old Mackenzie Hospital building.

On Tuesday, regional officials were given a tour of the facility and were astound-

ed to see the progress that has been made within months and the transformation from old to new.

The facility now sports a modernised ophthalmology operating theatre, an observation ward, eye-testing area, lens and frame showroom, pre-anaesthesia room, vision room, ophthalmologist consultation room, optometrist practising room and treat-

ment room.

Chief Executive Officer of Linden Hospital Complex, Dr Mohammed Riyasat, said that the new facility which can accommodate 100 persons at once was much needed and will provide better quality eye services.

Lindeners, he said, will benefit from free eye-testing and subsidised spectacles.

National Insurance Scheme

Regional officials and LHC staff touring the waiting room of the new ophthalmology facility

Mayor of Linden Waneka Arrindell and an LHC nurse inspecting an eye-testing equipment

Vouchers are also accepted.

Dr Riyasat said that he is pleased with the operating theatre, since eye surgeries such as cataract removal can now be done in a sterile environment.

“To do eye surgery, you have to have an extremely sterile location, you cannot contaminate with any other surgery with a bad foot or abscess,” he said. After surgery, patients will be observed in the facility’s very own ward.

Linden’s lone ophthal-

mologist who also serves as LHC’s Medical Superintendent, Dr Rameeza McDonald, also expressed gratitude for the new facility. “The area is actually a nice set-up for complete ophthalmology services. Little by little we are getting more and more equipment and we will be able to cover all the areas as it relates to eye services in Linden,” she said.

Regional Chairman Renis Morian said he is very impressed with the new facility

and is urging Lindeners to take advantage of what is offered. He commended the Government and the Ministry of Health for answering the town’s call for improved services in this regard.

“I am happy that in the Upper Demerara Berbice and primarily Linden, we can enjoy (these) services, I want to encourage residents to take full use of this facility instead of travelling to Georgetown, you can come right here,” Morian said.

He also commended the management of LHC for utilising the old hospital for several purposes. In addition to the new ophthalmology facility, the old building also has a Day Care Centre, the Ante-natal Clinic, Management offices and on Tuesday a ‘One Stop Centre’ for abused children was commissioned.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

Non-receipt of pensions forcing retirees back into work force - new study

THE lack of income from a contributory pension system for more than half of all men, and above all for women, aged 60 or over in Latin America, is the main factor for remaining active in the labour market, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) stated in a new joint publication released on Tuesday.

In edition No.18 of the Employment Situation in Latin America (May 2018), both United Nations organisations stress that according to their projections, the proportion of people aged 60 or older in the workforce will rise from 7.5% to 15% between 2015 and 2050. This is due, above all, to the ageing of the population and, to a lesser degree, a moderate in-

crease in older adults’ labour participation.

Despite recent advances in employment formalisation and the expansion of contributory pension systems, according to data from eight countries in the region an average 57.7% of people between 65 and 69 years of age, and 51.8% of people 70 or older, still do not receive a pension from a contributory system, with even higher rates seen for women. This situation forces many older people to work: the employment rate for all people 60 years or older totals 35.4% in the region, the study indicates.

This proportion is elevated even in age groups that have already exceeded the legal retirement age: 39.3% in the group from 65 to 69 and 20.4% in the segment of 70 years or older. The rates

are higher in countries with low coverage of contributory pension systems, the report explains.

ECLAC and ILO highlight that own-account work is the main source of income among older persons who continue working. This may reflect both the discrimination that hinders access to a salaried job for older persons, as well as their desire to work independently, taking advantage of the skills acquired over the course of their working lives to work in conditions that allow for greater flexibility.

In addition, the study shows that a high proportion of employed older adults work in the agricultural sector, where pension system coverage tends to be low.

The study also finds that 7.2% of people 60 years or

older are working despite the fact that they receive a pension from a contributory system, which may be due to the low amount that they receive or their preference to remain active, above all among people with higher educational levels.

“It is necessary to expand pension system coverage and supplement it with non-contributory pensions to reduce the pressure on older people to continue working, usually in low-productivity jobs, just to have a minimum standard of living at an age when societies should guarantee them the conditions to enjoy their old age with dignity,” Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s Exec-

utive Secretary, and José Manuel Salazar, ILO Regional Director, indicate in the publication’s foreword.

They add that given the accelerated ageing process that many Latin American countries face, it is essential to analyse the conditions and funding needed for inclusive and sustainable pension systems. With regard to the current overall employment situation in Latin America, the ECLAC-ILO report explains that in 2018 the region is undergoing a phase of modest economic recovery and growth is estimated at 2.2%, compared with the

1.3% recorded in 2017.

In this context, the organisations project a slight rise in the regional employment rate, which is expected to contribute to the fact that, for the first time since 2014, there will likely be a small drop in the urban unemployment rate to around 9.0% (down from 9.3% in 2017, the highest level since 2005).

This evolution in employment, coupled with real wages that are expected to keep rising moderately, should help strengthen households’ purchasing power, thereby contributing to the stabilisation of the economic recovery.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

PNCR says President is a strong defender of media freedom

THE People’s National Congress Reform has retracted a statement it issued over the weekend saying that President David Granger had complained about “daily challenges faced by the coalition from sections of the media.”

In a statement on Wednesday retracting the

weekend release, the PNCR said after examining the transcripts of President Granger’s address to General Council on Saturday, May 19, 2018, it was found that remarks attributed to him were taken out of context. “The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) is, therefore,

retracting our Press Release dated May 20, 2018, “PNCR General Council Meeting.”

The party added that President Granger has long been and will continue to be a strong advocate and defender of the freedom of information that is guaranteed under Article 146 of the

Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

“The Leaders and members of the PNCR strongly believe that free access to information is an inalienable right of every citizen. It is an indispensable condition of a democratic society. Citizens’ access to information is a democratic right and information is necessary for citizens’ informed participation in society.

“Restrictions in the flow of information deny citizens the opportunity to participate fully in decision-making and, thereby impair democracy.”

The PNCR said it is committed also to non-interference in the independent media, noting that independent

President David Granger

media act as watchdogs of

the Government.

“They promote transparency by ensuring that information is provided to the public on the work of the Government. They are a source of valuable feedback on the effectiveness of the efforts of the Government.

There is no good reason for the State to interfere in the work of the private-media.

“The relationship between the State and the private-media must be seen as a partnership in providing a public good, that is, public information for the citizens of this country.

Independence of thought must be preserved, professionalism must be promoted and the Constitution of Guyana must be upheld.”

AG backs lifestyle audit legislation …says it will strengthen fight against money laundering

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, SC.

THE Attorney General’s Chambers is open to considering a Lifestyle Audit Legislation to assist in Guyana’s fight against money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes.

Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams made this disclosure recently. A lifestyle audit determines if the lifestyle of a person matches his/her known income stream. Legal Advisor at the Commonwealth Secretariat, Shadrach Haruna said if the legislation is

implemented, it will be an effective tool in combatting money laundering and tax evasion. He made this comment earlier this month on the sidelines of the Judges and Prosecutors anti-money laundering workshop.

AG Williams, while agreeing with Haruna, pointed out that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has similar power to make such an enquiry and latterly the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) also has the same power, which speaks to an “irresistible inference in circumstances where the person is exhibiting enormous wealth when in fact they have no capacity to earn or create such wealth.”

The Lifestyle Audit Legislation was enacted in Canada. It is reportedly successful in curbing anti-money laundering and tax evasion in that jurisdiction. The Attorney General said while he has not read the legislation, he believes it would assist in the Coalition Administration’s thrust against corruption and proceeds from illicit transactions. Guyana,

which was once blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) under the previous PPP government, is now in its fourth round of mutual evaluation.

The Commonwealth legal adviser said the FATF is looking at the risks in each country and assessing measures implemented to counter them.

Haruna noted that the capacity of the country to counter terrorist financing and other related crimes is measured by how well the law enforcement authorities can investigate and prosecute these cases. Further, the Commonwealth is working towards a common standard, where members of the Commonwealth follow standardised regulations and modern laws.

According to Haruna, “If you are able to put those things in place then your risk has been minimised.”

(DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

‘Be involved in your children’s education’ … Education Ministry urges Bartica parents PARENTS in Bartica were urged to play an integral role in the development of their children’s education when the Education Ministry recently held a town hall meeting at the Bartica Secondary School in Region Seven.

During the forum, National Parent- Teacher Association Coordinator Nadia Hollingsworth, called on parents to play a more active role in their children’s education.

Stating that while there are parents who rise to the occasion, she said there are others who can do much more to advance their children’s education.

Based on observations by her department, the Education Ministry opted to visit the region to lend support and guidance in an effort to foster greater collaboration between the parents, the school and the ministry.

“We, at the ministry, recognise that no one group can

do this alone,” she posited.

Further, Hollingsworth said that if all parties involved in the process work collaboratively, more can be achieved.

“We are all in this together, it is not we and them, it is us; without parents there would have been no children to teach,” she said. The former teacher said the school is as strong as the parental support it receives, and in this regard, she reminded those gathered to understand their responsibilities and be receptive to sharing them.

The coordinator noted that she was not ‘having a go at parents. However, it is important that all concerned be candid about the current state of affairs.

“Do not allow your children to be the victims of your circumstances, not because you are not familiar with a particular subject matter the child presents to you, you cannot assist,” she said.

Hollingsworth encouraged parents to approach the schools for assistance so that they can in turn assist the child at home. It is in this context that she advised teachers to facilitate this process and implored them to foster good relationship with parents.

“Teachers, look past the issues and help that child to succeed,” the national PTA coordinator said, noting that teachers should endeavour to be different and go the extra mile to assist the nation’s youths.

Added to that she said it is fallacious to believe that good performing children only come from 'top-rated' schools. Rather, she has seen children from other schools performing outstandingly and it is parental involvement which is a vital ingredient for a successful outcome.

Assistant Regional Executive Officer (AREO) Stephie Allen said parents should not

Parents during the town hall meeting at Bartica which was facilitated by the Education Ministry recently.

allow their children to merely sail along at school. “Engage them to know what is going on at school,” Allen urged.

The AREO said there is much to be achieved should all parents adopt a more robust approach towards their children’s education.

Ena Hernades, a parent said many times it is only the teacher and the child.

She charged some parents

‘to stand up and be counted’.

On the other hand, the parent was in praise for those parents who she surmised go the extra mile to assist their children and their school.

Tirani Gahill, a teacher in her contribution to the meeting, said she is concerned about the smartphones some children carry. Gahill said they are becoming a hindrance to the learning

process. Towards this end, she called on parents to better supervise the use of these devices.

For the past months, the ministry has been holding town hall meetings across the 11 education districts, explaining the importance of parental involvement in education and the critical role parents are expected to play in this initiative.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

Missing diamonds

State says court action contravenes Limitation Act

JUSTICE Fidela Corbin-Lincoln on Tuesday ordered that a trial start in August, 2018 in the case of the alleged disappearance of $54M worth of diamonds after the state said it is unprepared to settle the matter.

The state, represented

by Solicitor-General Kim Kyte-Thomas and Joan Ann Edghill- Stuart, refused to offer a settlement to Ronald Khan, a miner who claimed, among other things, that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) wrongfully detained the diamonds which belong to him.

Those diamonds were detained since 1994 and were never returned to him.

The Solicitor-General who was cautious not to refer to the stones as diamonds, noted that the action filed by Khan contravenes the guidelines of the Limitation Act. Section 6 of the legislation says that every action or suit for movable property or any contract, relating to same, or

to recover money lent without written acknowledgment, or to recover any salary of value of goods sold and delivered, must be brought within three years after the cause of action or suit has arisen. The incident occurred in 1994 and initial proceedings started in 2011, some 17 years after.

Attempts have been made to locate the diamonds but to no avail. Kyte-Thomas explained that many of the persons who were involved in the case are no longer alive.

She made it clear that it is burdensome on the state to have a plaintiff approach the court after 17 years to produce diamonds which were lodged at a state entity. In her arguments, Kyte-Thomas said Khan is statutorily barred from making the application to cover his diamonds as it falls outside of the three-year limitation period provided by law.

In fact, the Solicitor-General said it is not clear whether diamonds worth $54M

was in police possession. The onus, she said, is on Khan to prove that the stones in contention were in fact diamonds. She relied heavily on Section 6 of the Limitation Act as the state’s defence while noting that the law protects a defendant from stale claims.

Meanwhile, submissions on the issue of the limitation period are to be filed by the state, on or before July 6 and served on Khan and his lawyers.

Khan’s lawyers are required to respond no later than July 20, 2018. In 2011, Khan had initially filed a civil suit against the state to recover the approximate value of the missing diamonds. Through his attorney Nigel Hughes, Khan has requested the return of the diamonds which he contends were wrongfully detained. The diamonds were reportedly lodged at the E&F Division of the Police Headquarters, Eve

Leary, Georgetown.

It has been reported that the diamonds were seized by police from Khan’s mining camp at Ewang Creek, sometime in 1994 and lodged initially at the Mahdia Police Station. Khan is also seeking an order directing the Commission of Police to pay him the $54M, representing the value of the “uncut diamonds” and has claimed damages in excess of $100,000 for the wrongful detention.

When the matter was heard before Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln earlier this month, the state was given until May 22 to find the missing diamonds belonging to Khan. The state, through attorney Joan-Ann Edghill-Stuart, at that time said that efforts are being made to contact the relevant police officers who ought to have knowledge of the diamonds.

Khan, through his attorney, had indicated that should the diamonds be found, he will not pursue the civil matter.

Mother dies after giving birth at NA Hospital

A 31-year-old woman, Dawn Cobis died hours after delivering a baby boy via Caesarean section at the New Amsterdam Hospital recently and on Wednesday Director of Regional Health Services Jevaughn Stephens said an investigation has been launched into the incident.

The mother of two of Kimbia, Berbice River was laid to rest on Sunday. A post mortem examination was done on Friday last however a report is still pending.

Additionally, body samples were also taken for further testing. Meanwhile, relatives expressed concerns about the baby boy who remains in the hospital and are hoping he can be released into the care of family members soon.

They also expressed hope of finding out what led the death of Cobis as only then they will feel at ease.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday Stephens disclosed that the death of the woman is a setback for the Regional Health Services which had an unblemished record for the past five years as it relates to maternal deaths.

“We in Region Six are proud of our maternal records we have been maintaining

for the last five years, zero maternal deaths. We are saddened to have one recorded.

It is one of the worse things to happen in any health system so we will ensure all necessary statements are taken, all the necessary persons are properly informed. We would have received a medical report. We started collecting statements from the nurses and doctors these statements will be sent to the Chief Medical Officer who will review and conduct further investigations with the medical parties involved.”

Stephens said he is saddened over the incident but assured they will get to the bottom of it. He related that on Wednesday he received an official complaint from the reputed husband of the woman. He said in every case of a maternal death an investigation is immediately launched even without an official complaint from family members. “I met with the reputed husband today where we had a lengthy discussion on the way forward and at the end of the meeting he felt assured a proper investigation is underway and at the end of the investigation we will have all the facts on what transpired,” Stephens related.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

Youth: the focus of Independence 2018 celebrations

Cohesion Minister Dr George Norton addresses the press conference on Wednesday.

THIS year’s focus for Guyana’s 52nd Independence anniversary celebrations’ formal ceremony will be on youth, and as such, the flag-raising will take place at D’Urban Park during the day. It is expected that more than 4,000 children will be participating.

This disclosure was made at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon which was hosted by the Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of Social Cohesion Minister Dr. George Norton and a panel of corporate sponsors and featured performers.

In giving a general overview of the activities, Dr Norton said Guyana will celebrate its 52nd Independence anniversary on Saturday, May 26, 2018 hence the Government will host the annual flag-raising ceremony on Friday, May 25, 2018 at D’Urban Park.

This year’s ceremony will have a special focus on youth with the emphasis of developing a strong national pride, patriotism and appreciation for the strides Guyana has made since gaining its Independence.

The minister added that the ceremony will feature a grand cultural display depicting Guyana’s national patrimony and our development for the past 52 years while, highlighting Guyana as an emerging green state.

Dr Norton told the press conference that more than 2,000 children drawn from a wide cross-section of primary and secondary schools will participate in the cultural display. In addition, there will be a parade comprising the military, 1,500 youths from various organisations inclusive of the schools’ cadet corps, scouts, pathfinders and secondary school students.

Dr Norton noted that the ceremony will start at 14:00hrs and on the evening of May 25 the GDF will host

a fireworks display to usher in our Independence. This will be prefaced by a twohour musical presentation, the concert being dubbed the ‘Independence Flag Concert.

‘Celebrate Guyana’ will feature performances from Guyana’s leading artistes.

He stated that the government extends an invitation to all Guyanese to come out and be part of these celebrations as he acknowledged the support from Caribbean Airlines Limited, Banks DIH and ExxonMobil towards the hosting of these activities.

According to Administrator of the National School of Music, Department of Social Cohesion, Andrew Tyndall, this year’s Independence flag-raising will take place in the daylight hours to accommodate the large gathering of children who will be participating.

He noted that the hoisting of the flag will be done at about 15:00hrs at D’Urban Park and in the evening for the first time there will br an Independence flag concert, a concept which was developed by the Director of Culture.

Meanwhile, in highlighting the concept of the Independence flag concert, Director of Culture Tamika Boatswain told the press conference that the aim is to use music and the energy music can bring to celebrate Guyana.

She pointed out that they chose to utilise local artistes and bring them together on one stage in an effort to garner more local support for Guyanese music.

Boatswain said as such, this event is the beginning of a grand plan to support our local artistes and she hopes that more companies will come on board and lend support in a tangible way since music has a way of sending powerful messages.

Senior Marketing Manager at Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL), Alicia Cabrera said the company is pleased to be a part of the events for Guyana’s 52nd Independence celebrations. Last year CAL was presented with an award for contributions made to Guyana.

She added that the airline remains committed and focused on providing the diaspora with connectivity to Guyana on the country’s Independence and she pledged unwavering

Minister Dr George Norton and staffers, flanked by the corporate sponsors and the local artistes, following the press conference on Wednesday.

support to Guyana.

Speaking on behalf of ExxonMobil was Senior Director, Public & Government Affairs, Kimberly Brassington, whose entity willingly

supported after learning that the focus was on youths this year. The company hopes to foster and grow as Guyana places more focus on its youth.

Some of the local artistes present were Michelle King called ‘Big Red’, Natural Black, Blaze Antonio, and gospel singer Sekou Andrews. They all expressed

their delight in being a part of the Independence celebrations concert. Vanilla Roberts and Kwesi Ace, Bounty Singh and Jumo Primo are also expected to perform.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

Free up inter-regional trade …CDB bemoans sloth in implementation of trade facilitation agenda

CDB Projects Department Director, Daniel Best

By Svetlana Marshall The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has challenged CARICOM Member States to implement their trade facilitation agenda, stating that for far too long regional competitiveness is being stymied due to poor implementation.

In his address to regional leaders during the opening session of the Regional Dialogue on the CARICOM Strategy for Regional Implementation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) at the Guyana Marriott on Wednesday, CDB Projects Department Director, Daniel Best said after years of signing the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, there are still a number of stumbling blocks hindering inter-regional trade.

“Seventeen years after signing the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas regional competitiveness continues to be stymied by the relatively flat performance of inter-regional trade,” Best said.

He noted that the “flat performance” is as a result of

the slothfulness in the implementation of the region’s trade facilitation agenda which spans beyond typical border issues which the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement seeks to address.

“Behind the border issues encompass the regulatory and policy environment that impacts market access. Here I am speaking about things such as access to testing and accreditation services and the ability of our traders to meet mandatory standards,” the CDB Projects Department Director explained. These issues, he posited, impact the region’s ability to attract much needed investment.

However, cognizant of the evolving nature of the trade facilitation agenda, Best said the CDB has prioritized issuing of regional loans and grants to finance initiatives which reflect a regional approach to implementing global reforms, such as those employed by the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.

In Guyana, the Guyanese Government has taken a number of steps to facilitate easier

trade.

The country ratified the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement on November 30, 2015 and established a National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCFT) on April 9, 2015 to oversee its implementation. That committee is jointly coordinated by the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Guyana Revenue Authority and includes representation from other relevant border and trade-related agencies. Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge said Guyana has taken ap-

to conceptualise and develop a road map for an electronic single window in partnership with Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) with inputs from key stakeholders,” Minister Greenidge informed those present.

He said the strategy is aligned with international best practices and commitments under the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.

Based on Guyana’s experience, Minister Greenidge put forward three essentials for effective implementation.

An active national com-

Regional Leaders seated at the opening session of the Regional Dialogue on the CARICOM Strategy for Regional Implementation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) at the Guyana Marriott.

(Photos by Samuel Maughn )

propriate steps to modernise its customs administration which in effect promote trade facilitation.

“As part of a strategy to further facilitate improvements to our trade performance and to create an enabling environment for doing business in Guyana, Government is moving forward with plans

mittee to secure needed inter-agency collaboration and harness institutional knowledge and technical experience; strong policy coordination and focal point leadership; Private Sector Support and Partnership are necessary, he said.

In 2013, the WTO successfully concluded negotiations on the Trade Facilitation

No bail for Daby UNDER armed security from the Guyana Police Force, 25-year-old Maryann Daby made her second court appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday and was further remanded to prison on the grounds of public safety.

A little over a week ago, Daby appeared before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman, charged with the indictable offence which read that on May 13, 2018 at Albert Street, Thomas Lands, Daby discharged a firearm at police constable, Christopher Kissoon, with intent to commit murder. This is an indictable offence.

The court further heard

that on the same day, Daby had a .32 pistol in her possession along with six rounds of .32 ammunition for which she has no licence to carry.

She denied the two charges when they were read to her.

Magistrate Latchman had remanded Daby to prison and transferred the matter to Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

When the matter was called before the Chief Magistrate, Daby’s attorney made a failed bail application on the grounds that his client was a licensed firearm holder.

Nevertheless, Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield objected to the bail application being granted on the

grounds that Daby was not a licensed firearm holder, since the document had expired several months ago.

Mansfield also disclosed to the court that the file was incomplete.

The Chief Magistrate upheld the prosecution’s objection, citing public safety and remanded Daby until May 30.

Daby, who is the finance manager of United Commodities, allegedly discharged several rounds in the compound of the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) at Thomas Lands and later pointed her firearm at a police officer.

During her first appearance, her attorney, Mark

Waldron explained to the court that his client was a licensed firearm holder since 2014. However, she had updated her licence for a 9mm pistol in 2018, which she is still to attain.

Waldron further stressed that his client was tested for gunshot residue but that no spent shells were found in the GMR&SC compound.

According to police reports, on the day in question, Constable Kissoon approached Daby after she was seen firing several shots in the air.

When the officer approached Daby, she placed the gun to his forehead and pulled the trigger. However, the gun was empty.

Vice President and Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge

Agreement at the Ninth Bali Ministerial. The agreement entered into force on February 22, 2017, following its ratification by two-thirds of the WTO membership.

The Trade Facilitation Agreement contains provisions for expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including those that are in transit. It also sets out measures for effective cooperation between customs and other appropriate authorities on trade facilitation and compliance issues.

It further contains provisions for technical assistance and capacity building in this area.

Minister Greenidge pointed out that member states’ obligations include ratification of the agreement and notification of categories A, B and C commitment.

“For all member states that are yet to make these notifications – these steps are necessary to aid in the mobilization of donor support to implement the agreement. So I urge you to ensure that these commitments are honoured,” the Foreign Affairs Minister urged.

The regional dialogue

seeks to address policy-related issues on trade facilitation in general and as they relate to implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement. The two day-session is intended to deepen the understanding and appreciation of participants for the regional approaches and priorities identified in the CARICOM Strategy for the region as approved by the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED). It is expected that at the end of the session, a road map would be developed to prioritize initiatives for implementation at the national and regional levels.

Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean Region, Dr. Sobir Komilov, CARICOM Assistant Secretary General – Trade and Economic Integration Joseph Cox, and Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma were among the other officials present during the opening session of the regional dialogue.

Ex-Army Officer given time for evaluation COME May 31, 2018, attorney James Bond is expected to present an independent psychiatric evaluation to the court for former Guyana Defence Force captain Orwain Sandy, who is charged with the murder of his reputed wife.

Although earlier this month, Government Psychiatrist Dr. Bhiro Harry had deemed Sandy mentally fit to stand trial, his attorney requested time for Sandy to undergo another evaluation.

Sandy, who is currently on remand for the murder of Reona Payne on March 31 at First Street, Alexander Village, is before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Attorney James Bond who is representing Sandy, requested time for an independent evaluation to be conducted on

his client.

Magistrate Judy Latchman granted the request and the matter was adjourned to May 31.

Sandy, who served as Special Assistant to the Chief-ofStaff of the Guyana Defence Force, had planned to drop Payne off at her place of work when she received a phone call from someone overseas.

When the soldier questioned her about the relationship status of the caller, an argument ensued in the vicinity of the mosque in First Street, Alexander Village.

The woman is alleged to have grabbed the soldier’s firearm and threw it out of the car.

According to a source, Sandy stopped the vehicle to retrieve the weapon and Payne exited too. After picking up the gun, Sandy reportedly fired in Payne’s direction.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

Appeal filed against jailing of man with 8.6 grams of ganja ATTORNEY Nigel Hughes has filed an appeal against the three-year sentence imposed on a man who was found guilty of possession of 8.6 grams of marijuana.

The sentencing of the man has outraged the Alliance For Change, which has called for swift action to remove custodial sentencing for persons found with small amounts of ganja. The case has also revived calls for reform of the laws prohibiting the use of ganja here.

Social Activist, Mark Benschop announced on his Facebook page that on Wednesday afternoon, parents and relatives of the young man, Carl Mangal, met with attorney Hughes to discuss the way forward. Benschop said an appeal has already been filed, and the application for bail will follow shortly.

“It should be noted that this struggle is not just about the young man, but for hundreds of others in his situation.

Hence, it's time for the government and opposition to vote on the Marijuana Bill that's before parliament since 2016,” Benschop wrote.

On Monday, Mangal’s mother and his reputed wife broke down in tears after the three-year sentence was handed down by Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman.

It was alleged that on May 18, 2018 at Princes Street, Georgetown, Mangal had in his possession 8.6 grams of marijuana. The 27-year-old man pleaded guilty to the charge read to him in the

court. According to evidence presented by the prosecutor, on May 18, ranks acting on information went to lot 2 Princes Street, Georgetown and a search was carried out in the defendant’s home. As a result, two zip lock bags were discovered with stems and leaves which were suspected to be narcotics. Mangal told the police the marijuana belonged to him. He was arrested and taken to the Brickdam station. After sentence was passed in court, his family members broke down in tears, begging the magistrate to be sympathetic.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo said that he believes marijuana penalty laws must be reviewed to address the number of young people being locked up. “I share the view that Guyana should review sentencing guidelines, and liberalise laws that make custodial sentencing mandatory for small quantities of marijuana. Too many of our young people are in jail as the law, as is, provides for imprisonment for quantities above 5 grams and does not give magistrates a discretion.”

Meanwhile, the AFC also expressed its outrage and deep concern following the sentencing of three years’ incarceration for the 27-year-old.

“The AFC wishes to make it clear that it is not questioning the decision of the magistrate in any way. The AFC recognises that the magistrate, as is the case with all her colleagues, is constrained by the law with regard to the

Inquiry into teacher’s murder adjourned

THE preliminary inquiry before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman into the death of schoolteacher, Kescia Branche, was adjourned until May 29.

Currently on remand for the indictable offence is 47-year-old taxi driver, Matthew Munroe. So far a total of two witnesses have given evidence. They are Police Sergeant Rawle Nedd, who is stationed at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary and is attached to the Crime Lab. The other is Police photographer, Constable Osafo Felix.

Branche, a mother of one, who resided in Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown, was last seen alive on November 4, 2017, when she left for a night-out with her friends.

However, her unconscious body was found in the vicinity of Princes Street and Louisa Row the following day. Her left leg was broken and there was evidence that she had sustained multiple head injuries.

The Richard Ishmael Secondary School teacher died at the Georgetown Public Hospital two days after she was found battered. A post-mortem

indicated that she died as a result of brain haemorrhage.

During the investigation, three suspects were questioned and released. The father of Branche’s three-year-old son was released on November 14 and placed on station bail, along with two police constables.

The constables were later charged departmentally for neglect of duty, consuming liquor while on duty, improperly entering licensed premises and acting in a manner likely to bring discredit to the reputation of the Force.

At the time of the trio’s release, the police were seeking to contact a taxi driver whose cell phone number appeared repeatedly on Branche’s mobile device. His vehicle was subsequently impounded at the Brickdam Police Station, When arrested, the taxi driver had claimed that his car was involved in an accident after he drove into a pothole, but according to a police report, the damage to the car was consistent with the injuries Branche received.

Investigators are of the opinion that the driver may have been the last person to see the teacher alive.

Attorney Nigel Hughes and relatives of Carl Mangal, who was jailed for ganja possession

issue of custodial sentencing for possession of small quantities of marijuana.” The party, however, renews its call to all legislators to move

with alacrity in upgrading the laws of Guyana to ensure that custodial sentences for small quantities of marijuana are removed from the books in

their entirety.

“Custodial sentences serve, in large measure, to criminalise young people, particularly young men who have been caught with small quantities of marijuana – an offence which is a mere error in judgment and not representative of criminal behaviour,” the AFC said.

AFC Member of Parliament, Michael Carrington, since 2015 had tabled a bill in the National Assembly for debate, but it has since been languishing on the order paper, being deferred time and time again. “The time to act is now. We must no longer sit idly by and allow

our young men and women to be sentenced to several years of jail time alongside hardened criminals, murderers and rapists.

“We will not be found complicit in destroying the lives of our young people and wounding our society rather than acting to heal it,” the AFC said. The party also announced that it will commence plans to host, in the near future, a national symposium on the issue at which all stakeholders and sectors of society will be invited to deliberate and exchange views.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

Guyana’s advance to universal healthcare remains challenging

-Min Lawrence tells World Health Assembly Though the road ahead for Guyana in its quest to advance universal access to health and health coverage, is a daunting one, Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence, in her address to World Health Assembly, said the country is being guided by its 2020 Health Vision – a National Health Strategy for Guyana 20132020, which was developed following extensive consultation.

The 71st World Health Assembly is currently being

held in Geneva, Switzerland.

When Minister Lawrence addressed the assembly on Tuesday, she said recognising the importance of Universal Health Coverage, the Guyanese Government, in keeping with the Constitution, provides free healthcare services to all.

But while access to health services is on the increase, the Public Health Minister said one cannot ignore the many challenges the country’s healthcare sector faces.

“There are still many chal-

lenges in relation to advancing towards universal access to health and universal health coverage, such as the segmentation and fragmentation of the systems and services, health financing deficits and inefficiencies, and health outcomes below expectation among others. More importantly, is our human resource gaps and efficiencies in the delivery of essential services.”

But that’s just a tip of the ice-berg Minister Lawrence said emphasising that the

social determinants of health ought to be addressed to aid in the achievement of the sustainable development goals.

“We are experiencing severe shortages in the numbers and range of skills offered to the public, including the number of nurses, doctors, and other health professionals. The number of doctors per population remains low, at fourteen doctors for ten thousand persons and these skills concentrated in the most populated areas and not sufficiently extended to the

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence addressing the 71st World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

interior and rural areas of our country,” the Public Health Minister explained.

However, though admitting that the road ahead for Guyana is a challenging one, Minister Lawrence assured that country will be guided

by Health Vision 2020.

The strategy was developed through a wide-ranging consultative process with key stakeholders from the Government, Civil Society, Private Sector, Local and International Non-Governmental Organisations and development agencies including the Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO).

Its main two pillars are Universal Health and addressing the Social Determinants of Health.

These pillars, Minister Lawrence explained, are geared toward ensuring equitable access to medicines and other health technologies, providing equitable access people centered care, strengthened integrated health services delivery networks and competencies for other human resources for health.

Under the strategy, there is also a push for the enhancement of the health information system which will allow for evidence informed decision making, thereby contributing to improving the health status of individuals, families and communities.

The Public Health Minister also used the platform to call greater collaboration noting that lessons learnt and best practices can be shared among countries to ensure that Universal Health can be achieved.

Meanwhile, on the sideline of the World Health Assembly during another presentation, Minister Lawrence called on Member States to cognizant of the effects of climate change.

The threat climate change poses to countries worldwide is real, the Public Health Minister said as she put a question to her audience.

“Why do we have to still ask ourselves whether cli-

mate change is real?”

The direct and indirect effects negatively affect human development and well-being of all people, she posited. “Is it that we are looking at each other to act when we should be acting?”

She reminded that health systems are tested in the event of a natural disaster hence the need to take heed of the warnings. Reference was made to recent effects relating to climate change, experienced by Guyana.

These included the overtopping of seawalls on the West Coast of Demerara which flooded several communities and forced the temporary closure of a community hospital.

Minister Lawrence said that the Guyana Government is aware of the impact that climate change can have on its people and economy. As such the administration is collaborating with the United Nations to develop a Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) which will essentially result in improved human well-being, reduce environmental risk and promote social equity for all Guyanese.

“We as countries have a choice. We can choose not to pay heed to this threat and maintain a business as usual attitude or we can choose to cultivate a mindset set that is premised on being innovative and establish public policies which are propitious, purposive and cogent to mitigate these adverse effects, particularly, on health,” Minister Lawrence stated.

She explained that Caribbean countries have been mandated to embrace climate change awareness, develop strategies and policies which will promote inclusive economic growth and improve multidimensional progress, noting, “This is likely to tackle vulnerability at the household and individual level.”

As such, she renewed the call for a consolidate effort that would result a unified approach to tackle this pervasive threat. The 71st World Health Assembly opened on Monday and will conclude on Saturday May 26.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday May 24, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, May 24, 2018

Norton reassures Government’s commitment towards sports development

By Rajiv Bisnauth

MINISTER of Social Cohesion with the responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr George Norton, on Tuesday evening underscored the Government’s commitment towards sports development in Guyana, a country, which he says is multi-cultural and multi-ethnic.

Dr Norton made the disclosure during his feature address at the National Sports Commission Awards Ceremony, held at the Savannah Suite of the Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.

Minister Norton maintained that while much is still to be done in the sector, he observed that the awards recognise the excellence in Guyanese sports.

Indeed there is much more to be done to develop our country’s sporting landscape, improve existing facilities and the construct new facilities across Guyana.

“We, the administration, will work towards the rebuilding the spectator culture across all disciplines, and at the same time ensure that there is a policy framework, which will facilitate growth and opportunities for athletes, academic associations, clubs and all communities,” Dr Norton said.

The minister further noted that the awards ceremony coincide perfectly with Guyana’s Independence and the National Youth Week, and it is indicative of the cohesive trust of this government to work in the interest of its citizens.

He congratulated the

awardees, adding that with such an impressive ceremony, Guyana has much to celebrate.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the NSC, Dr Colin Roach, during his presentation said the NSC will continue to promote sport locally, since sport plays a vital component in society.

Dr Roach further indicated that the NSC acknowledged the continued contribution of the awardees and nominees towards the development of the sector in Guyana.

Meanwhile, F4 driver Calvin Ming and female hockey player Marzana Fiedtkou copped the top awards.

Ming was named Senior Sportsman-of-theYear while Fiedtkou was voted the Senior Sportswoman-of-the-Year.

On the junior side, athlete Compton Caesar and boxer Keevin Allicock were declared joint winners in the Male category, while athlete Chantoba Bright won the Female segment.

OTHER AWARDEES WERE: Most Improved Association – Guyana Hockey Board A s s o c i a tion-of-the-Year – Athletics Association of Guyana Female Sport Personality – Latisha Mokutnauth Male Sport Personality – Norman ‘Juice Man’ Welch Male Coach – Esaun Crandon Female Coach – Candacie McKenzie Male Sport Official – Philip Fernandes Female Sport Official – Dion Cush-Barnwell Sportsman PWDs – Ganesh Singh Sportswoman PWDs – Faith King Sports Team – Guyana Under-19 cricket team Journalist (TV) – Akeem Greene Journalist (Online) – Royston Alkins Photographer – Adrian Narine Special Awards went to the Campbellville Secondary School, Walter Grant-Stuart, Rawle Toney, and Troy Doris, Guyana’s 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, who was a special guest at the ceremony.

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days to go …

España, the worst host Nation in history

E

SPAÑA (Spain) 1982 gave the world an abundance of memories; from the iconic showdown between Brazil and Italy to France’s Le Carré Magique, it was a summer not many forget. However, amid the fading recollections, forgotten it has almost become; that of the host nation’s showing 36 years ago.

Today, maybe more so only a handful of years ago, La Roja are seen as the ultimate international footballing machine; a side that possess the flair of the South Americans while also harbouring the efficiency of their European roots. They are a superpower who altered the face of the game through world dominance in the most beautiful way. However, that has not always been the case.

In 1982, Spain, as an entity, were still coming to terms with their reconnection with democracy. Francisco Franco, a general who ruled as a military dictator from 1939, after the Nationalist victory in the Spanish Civil War, until his death in 1975, had descended the country back into a time of the iron fist, and it had taken its toll on almost all walks of life.

Real Madrid, the most successful football team in European history, had endured a 16-year spell without a crown following the last of their six trophies being clinched in 1966.

During that time, a Spanish domestic side had appeared in the final of a continental competition only twice; losing both - with Atlético Madrid coming off second best to Bayern Munich in 1974, and city neighbours Los Blancos tasting defeat at the hands of Bob Paisley’s Liverpool in Paris seven years later.

While the Cup Winners’ Cup told only a slightly better tale; with Barcelona triumphing in 1979 as well as during the World Cup year of 1982, and Valencia’s penalty shoot-out victory over Arsenal in 1980 - the only successes following the tournament’s inception.

In the UEFA Cup, meanwhile, Athletic Club’s runners-up spot in 1977 was the only glimpse of prominence in Europe’s second-tier cup competition during the decade leading up to the World Cup. Leading into the competition, La Roja had just a solitary star to their name, and, like fellow ‘footballing superpower’ England, it had come on home soil via the 1964 European Championships.

However, Mundial 82 was an opportunity for Spain to reclaim their former glories; to prove to the world, the sleeping giant had awakened once more; to demonstrate how democracy had prevailed and that the nation was stronger for it. Or, so it was meant to be.

Drawn into Group 5, the hosts would be based in Valencia and Zaragoza and would attempt to weave their way through to the latter rounds by overcoming Honduras, Yugoslavia and Northern Ireland. Although Miljan Miljanić’s Yugoslavia, who had qualified ahead of Italy during the preliminary rounds, were seen as dark horses. Nevertheless, the Uruguayan-born coach and former four-time European Cup winner with Real Madrid, José Santamaría, was the man to topple all those who stood before him.

Heading into the opening tie, the ex-central defender was hesitant to assume victory; however, he exuded a quiet confidence. But just eight minutes into the contest with Honduras, the Los Blancos legend’s scepticism became clear as Héctor Zelaya put the Central Americans into the lead.

For almost an hour La Roja carried out an assault on the opposition area without tangible reward, until Roberto López Ufarte’s penalty allowed España to spare their blushes for another day. Although, little did they know, that day was not far away.

The much-feared Yugoslavia were next; an encounter that would provide one of the most free-flowing, awe-inspiring matches of the entire summer, but also one that was marred by controversy.

Donned in their all-white strip, the XI from the Balkans dominated the early exchanges, and in the eighth-minute defender Ivan Gudelj, hailed as the ‘Beckenbauer of Zmijavci’ by his native press, headed past Luis Arconada to give the visiting nation a deserved lead.

However, minutes later, a collision between Miguel Ángel Alonso and Velimir Zajec as the former attempted to surge towards the Yugoslavian box changed the face of the contest, and indeed the entire affair. Despite the contact clearly starting and ending outside of the area, Danish referee Henning Lund-Sørensen saw fit to award the host nation a penalty; much to the dismay of Miljanić and his men.

The anger portrayed from the apparent culprits was increased even more, so shortly following, as after Juanito initially put the spot-kick wide, the Scandinavian official allowed a retake, which the Real Madrid forward calmly slotted home at the second time of asking.

Valencia midfielder Enrique Saura, on his home turf, proved the hero shortly after the hour mark as he bundled home the winner, leaving those in all-white undeservedly empty-handed, following their incredible contribution to a scintillating tie.

However, on that evening, Spain topped Group 5 following a draw between Northern Ireland and Honduras in Zaragoza.

The Green and White Army became all that stood between España and the chance to find a route to glory as group winners. However, Gerry Armstrong’s sensational strike past the helpless Arconada in the 47th minute was the only roadblock needed.

Yugoslavia had narrowly beaten Honduras the evening prior, but it was not enough to see either side through, and Spain, embarrassed by the footballing unknown of the Ulstermen, were faced with the gruelling challenge of tackling West Germany and England in the second round.

However, despite having the opportunity to overcome two former winners on home soil, La Roja’s journey all but came to an end as Arconada fumbled against Die Mannschaft to allow Pierre Littbaski the chance to lash home from close range en route to a 2-1 victory at the capacity-brimmed Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.

Days later, inside the same arena, the two great underachievers of international football, Spain and England, limped out of the World Cup via a goalless stalemate; one remaining unbeaten throughout, and the other having only secured one victory in five matches in front of their own crowd. It was a disaster.

The following years would see Miguel Muñoz reclaim, as he described, the missing fury of La Furia Roja; reaching the 1984 European Championships final, only to taste defeat against host nation France; as they had done in Spain two years before.

But on a grander scale, España never again suffered the same embarrassment as that of 1982, even when taking into account their showing in Brazil four years ago.

And unlike their former underachieving comrades England, the harrowing memories of the self-hosted tournament lived on through Vicente del Bosque, who would go on to assure the once cast aside ‘superpower’ were indeed remembered for their successes, rather than their inadequate reputation of years gone by.

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, May 24, 2018

Rockets rally past Warriors in fourth to even series (REUTERS) - Eric Gordon’s first 3-pointer of the game gave Houston a late fivepoint lead, and the Rockets held on from there to defeat the Golden State Warriors 95-92 in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday night to even the Western Conference finals at two games apiece.

James Harden scored 30 points and Chris Paul 27 for the Rockets, who regained home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series that returns to Houston for Game 5 tonight.

Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said of his players, “They found a way. They’ve done it all year, and they’ll keep doing it.”

Stephen Curry had 28 points and Kevin Durant 27 for the Warriors, who had their NBA-record, 16-game home playoff winning streak snapped.

The victory was the Rockets’ first on the road against Golden State in the playoffs in franchise history.

In a see-saw affair in which both teams led by dou-

ble figures, the Rockets got the better of the finish after Curry converted a three-point play to get the Warriors within 91-89 with 3:18 to go.

session of the ball in the final seconds, but Klay Thompson misfired on a heavily pressured 16-footer.

“I wanted the timeout,”

Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza (1) and guard Chris Paul (3) celebrate after defeating the Golden State Warriors in game four of the Western Conference.

After Harden and Curry traded missed 3-point attempts, Gordon, who was 0-for-6 from beyond the arc to that point, buried a 27-footer for a five-point cushion with just 2:25 to play.

The Warriors got back within 94-92 and had pos-

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of the decisive possession. “Draymond (Green) was trying to call one around four seconds, once he got trapped, and at that point the officials weren’t looking and they’re not going to look down at our bench. So I saw Draymond

trying to call it, and I was hoping they’d give it to us, but we didn’t get it.”

D’Antoni said of the Rockets’ defence on the play, “Just guys doing what they’ve been doing the whole quarter.

They got into people. That’s where Trevor (Ariza) got on Klay (Thompson) really in the corner and locked him down.

You know they have a lot of movement, and we switch it, and guys just read it and played as hard as they could.

They knew that one stop, the game’s over more or less, and came up large.”

Paul, fouled on the rebound, made one of two free throws with a half-second remaining to make it a three-point game, and the Rockets then sweated out a missed desperation 3-point try by Curry at the final horn.

Harden credited the Rockets’ defensive intensity for changing the game in the fourth quarter.

“Third quarter, Steph was getting too free, stepping out and making long

threes,” Harden said on ESPN. “We put the pressure on him to make him drive a little bit. Great team win!”

Harden hit 11 of his 26 shots and Paul 10 of his 20 for the Rockets, who have won four of six road games in the postseason.

Gordon finished with 14 points while PJ Tucker contributed 16 rebounds and Clint Capela had 13 boards for Houston, who have rebounded from all four losses this postseason with a win.

Durant hit just nine of his 24 shots and Curry 10 of his 26 for the Warriors, who had been 4-0 in Game 4s during the Kerr era when up 2-1 in a series.

Green recorded an 11-point, 13-rebound double-double while Thompson chipped in with 10 points for the Warriors, who played without Andre Iguodala, sidelined due to a sore left knee.

“Our normal sub pattern obviously was skewed with Andre’s absence,” Kerr said. “I felt like in the fourth quarter, we just ran out of

gas, scored 12 points. Tried to buy a little bit of rest for our guys, but, yeah, they just outplayed us in the fourth and they earned it.”

Both teams made big runs in the first half, with the Rockets’ lasting longer and producing a 53-46 halftime lead.

With all five starters scoring, the Warriors put up the game’s first 12 points, holding the Rockets scoreless on 0-for-8 shooting for more than five minutes.

However, the Rockets got much the better of the rest of the half, outscoring Golden State 53-34 to build the seven-point edge.

Harden had 15 of his 30 points in the second quarter, during which the Rockets went up by as many as 10.

“They’re a really good team, especially at home,” Harden said of the Warriors.

“You knew it wasn’t going to be easy. They started out 12-0. We kept fighting, kept fighting. I kept telling the guys, ‘We can win this game.’ And now it’s a bestout-of-three.”

Spaniard Emery chosen to lead Arsenal into new chapter

By Martyn Herman

LONDON, England (Reu-

ters) - Spaniard Unai Emery said he was excited to start a ‘new chapter’ for

Arsenal after becoming the Premier League club’s first new manager for 22 years

yesterday.

T h e 4 6 - y e a r- o l d h a s been hired to fill the sizeable void left by the departure of Frenchman Arsene Wenger who had been at the Arsenal helm since 1996.

“I am thrilled to be joining one of the great clubs in the game,” Emery, who spent the past two seasons at Paris St Germain, taking them to a domestic treble this season, told the Arsenal website www. arsenal.com.

“Arsenal is known and loved throughout the world for its style of play, its commitment to young players, the fantastic stadium and the way the club is run.

“I’m very excited to be given the responsibility to start this important new chapter in Arsenal’s history.”

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis said Emery had emerged as the strongest candidate after a “wide-ranging and rigorous search” for Wenger’s replacement.

“Unai has an outstanding track record of success throughout his career, has developed some of the best young talent in Europe and plays an exciting, progressive style of football that fits Arsenal perfectly,” he said.

“His hard-working, passionate approach and his sense of values on and off

the pitch make him the ideal person to take us forward.”

Emery won the Ligue 1 title, the French Cup and the League Cup this past season in Paris. Before his time in France he spent three years at Sevilla, winning three consecutive Europa League trophies. He has also had spells in Spain with Valencia and Almeria after beginning his coaching career with Lorca Deportiva.

Emery named Arsenal‘s Premier League club’s first new manager for 22 years.

The only blot on his managerial copybook was a short spell at Spartak Moscow where he was sacked in 2012.

LIMITED RESOURCES He will have an immediate chance to impress again in the Europa League next season, although his priority will be to restore Arsenal’s place in the Premier League’s

top four, after they finished fifth and sixth in Wenger’s last two seasons.

Arsenal finished 37 points behind champions Manchester City this season and closing that gap will not be easy.

While Arsenal has some outstanding players in the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette the squad will need strengthening.

Emery, however, will not have the financial resources he enjoyed at PSG who last year shattered the world transfer record to sign Neymar from Barcelona for 222 million euros (£195 million).

Arsenal are reported to have a £50 million transfer budget this summer.

Majority owner Stan Kroenke, who holds the purse strings at the Emirates Stadium, said he was confident Emery had the skills to revive Arsenal’s fortunes.

“He’s a proven winner.

We’re confident he is the right person for the job and that he will work to deliver triumphs our fans, staff and everyone who cares about Arsenal want,” he said.

“He shares our vision to move forward, to build on the platform created by Arsene Wenger and help this club enjoy greater success.”

25

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, May 24, 2018

AB de Villiers calls time for Proteas

By Mark Gleeson

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (Reuters) - South African talisman AB de Villiers announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket, yesterday, saying he was tired and wanted to step out while still at the top.

“After 114 Test matches, 228 one day internationals and 78 T20 internationals it is time for others to take over. I’ve had my turn and to be honest I’m tired,” he said in a video message on Twitter and in a statement.

“This is a tough decision, I have thought long and hard about it and I’d like to retire while still playing decent cricket. After the fantastic (Test) series wins against India and Australia, now feels like the right time to step aside.

“It would not be right for me to pick and choose where, when and in what format I play for the Proteas. For me, in the green and gold, it must be everything or nothing,” he added.

The 34-year-old, whose swashbuckling batting style and razor-sharp fielding has made him one of the sport’s leading lights, only returned to Test cricket in December

after a lengthy hiatus where he focused on the limited overs formats of the game.

“It’s not about earning more somewhere else, it’s about running out of gas and feeling that it is the right time to move on,” he said. “Everything comes to an end. To the cricket fans around South

Plessis and the Proteas.”

CAREER GOALS With a young family, de Villiers has hinted at international retirement in the last few years, but this past season was committed to playing for his country in all three formats.

AB de Villiers retires after 114 Test matches, 228 ODIs and 78 T20 International for South Africa.

Africa and the world, thank you for your kindness and generosity, and today, for your understanding.

“I have no plans to play overseas. In fact, I hope I can continue to be available for the Titans in domestic cricket. I will continue to be the biggest supporter of (captain) Faf du

In his 2016 autobiography, he revealed he had two major career goals remaining - to beat Australia in a home Test series and win the Cricket World Cup. He achieved the first of those earlier this year, but said last month he was no longer as determined to

complete the second in England next year.

“I’m taking it one game at a time,” de Villiers was quoted as saying by the International Cricket Council (ICC) website.

“My ultimate dream is not to win a World Cup. I’ve changed my mindset. I feel it will be nice to win it, it’ll be a bonus, but if I don’t, it’s not going to define my career.” de Villiers retires with a Test average of 50.66 and as the fourth-highest scorer for South Africa with 8 765 runs.

He made 22 Test centuries and also took 222 catches and made five stumpings, after spending part of his career in the role of wicketkeeper.

In ODI cricket, he holds the records for the fastest 50 (16 balls), 100 (31 balls) and 150 (64 balls).

“AB is one of the alltime greats of South African cricket and has thrilled spectators around the world with his sheer brilliance, coupled to his ability to innovate and take modern day batting in all three formats, but particularly in the white ball ones to new levels,” said Cricket South Africa president Chris Nenzani.

Brazil favourites with everything to prove

By Andrew Downie

SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - Few national teams have experienced the ups and downs of Brazil over the last five years but the good news for fans of the Selecao is that they are ascendant as Russia approaches.

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3-0 in the final. A year later they were humiliated 7-1 at home by Germany in the World Cup semi-finals and early exits at the Copa America in 2015 and 2016 deepened the gloom.

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to the wily coach, who has instilled a sense of purpose in a team that looked lost under his predecessor Dunga.

Brazil coach Tite has retained seven of the 23 players who failed on home soil four years ago.

Tite has retained only seven of the 23 players who failed on home soil four years ago, with Neymar, Marcelo, Dani Alves, Fernandinho, Thiago Silva, Willian and Paulinho among those likely to make the final 23.

The central defence has been shored up with Marquinhos and Miranda, and Brazil under Tite have conceded just five goals in 19 games.

The midfield has a balance of solid and creative players, with Casemiro providing the backbone, Paulinho capable of going box-

to-box, and Renato Augusto offering some spark.

Up front Tite has an embarrassment of riches, with Neymar, Gabriel Jesus and Philippe Coutinho the likely starters with able back-up on the bench from speedy wingers Willian and Douglas Costa.

Those players helped Brazil to become the first team to qualify for Russia with a record string of nine successive wins, but they must take care to rein in any euphoria.

Brazil have historically done better at World Cups when they fly off hated rather than feted by their own press and fans.

In 1970, 1994 and 2002, the Selecao left home under a cloud only to silence their doubters and lift the cup.

In 1982 and 2006, it was the opposite, as teams headed to Europe expecting to canter to victory.

Tite is nothing if not pragmatic and he has worked overtime to ensure his players are focused on the task at hand.

On the field his work has been exemplary, as 15 wins in 19 games prove.

How he prepares them off it may be almost as important.

Reactions to retirement of AB de Villiers from international cricket

(REUTER) - South African batsman AB de Villiers announced his retirement from all three formats of international cricket yesterday.

His decision, which came as a surprise ahead of next year’s Cricket World Cup in England, has provoked worldwide reactions, particularly from India where he is known as ‘Mr 360’ for his ability to play shots all around the wicket.

THE FOLLOWING IS REACTION TO HIS DEPARTURE:

CEO OF CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA CHRIS NENZANI SAID IN A STATEMENT: “AB is one of the all-time greats of South African cricket and has thrilled spectators around the world with his sheer brilliance, coupled to his ability to innovate and take modern-day batting in all three formats but particularly in the white ball ones to new levels.

“What is probably more important is the inspiration he has been to his team mates whether playing at international or domestic level and the wonderful role model he has been to all our aspiring youngsters. It goes without saying that he is going to be greatly missed wherever international cricket is played.”

FORMER SOUTH AFRICA WICKETKEEPER MARK BOUCHER TWEETED: “I remember this young guy on his first day out for the Proteas. What an inspirational person and player he turned out to be! Thank you for everything you have done for your country, teammates and fans.”

FORMER SRI LANKA BATSMAN MAHELA JAYAWARDENA TWEETED: “One of the best! Wish you all the best, AB! Amazing player, but above all that, great guy...”

CRICKET BROADCASTER HARSHA BHOGLE TWEETED: “Must admit to being a bit shocked by AB de Villiers’ decision to quit all international cricket. We knew it was coming but I thought he would give the World Cup another shot.”

FORMER INDIA SEAM BOWLER RP SINGH TWEETED: “The man who showed the world that batting 360° is an easy task. All the best for your future endeavours AB de Villiers!, Thank you for all the unforgettable memories.”

FORMER SOUTH AFRICA FAST BOWLER ALLAN DONALD TWEETED: “So shocked to hear AB de Villiers has decided to call time on his international career. But that’s just life and he feels it’s time to move on. Thank you, great man, for your amazing match-winning performances, skilful captaincy and most of all your humility.”

FORMER ENGLAND CAPTAIN MICHAEL VAUGHAN TWEETED: “Such a shame for international cricket! But he has been an unbelievable advert to how I would have loved to have played all three formats ... GREAT GREAT player ... top three that I have ever seen.”

FORMER SOUTH AFRICA SPIN BOWLER PAUL HARRIS TWEETED: “What a great career! Best I have ever seen. Was great to be a part of it, AB de Villiers. Nou gaan ons braai (now we are going to barbeque).”

FORMER INDIA BATSMAN MOHAMMAD KAIF TWEETED: “One of the all-time greats of the game. Many congratulations AB de Villiers on an outstanding career. The (Roger) Federer of cricket, the most loved cricketer on the planet.

Wish you the best for your future endeavours.”

AUSTRALIA WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL ALEX BLACKWELL TWEETED: “True legend!. Finishing on top and allowing next generation to step up. The way AB found innovative ways to dominate bowling attacks was an inspiration.”

FORMER INDIA BATSMAN AAKASH CHOPRA TWEETED: “The biggest entertainer in the last decade has bid goodbye to International cricket. Your absence will be felt, AB. Cricket will be poorer.”

DE VILLIERS’ INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE SIDE ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE TWEETED: “Sudden, but we’re confident there was immense thought and contemplation behind the decision. You have to come back to Bengaluru in 2019.”

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, May 24, 2018

KKR to challenge Sunrisers Guyana to play Barbados in CBC warm-up tournament for spot in IPL final

KOLKATA, India (Reuters) Skipper Dinesh Karthik’s rearguard half-century and astute marshalling of his bowlers helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) eliminate inaugural winners Rajasthan Royals by 25 runs in a seesaw Indian Premier League (IPL) contest yesterday.

Needing 170 to win, Rajasthan got off to a strong start but wheels came off their chase once skipper Ajinkya Rahane (46) and number three Sanju Samson (50) fell.

Two-time champions Kolkata, who restricted Rajasthan to 144-4, will face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the second qualifier tomorrow for a place in Sunday’s final against two-time champions Chennai Super Kings.

The Rahane-Samson duo added a match-high 62 runs but Rajasthan sorely missed Jos Buttler, back in England for national duty, whose five fifties were crucial to their playoff qualification.

K o l k a t a ’s s p i n t w i n s Kuldeep Yadav (1-18) and Piyush Chawla (2-24) were outstanding with the ball, conceding only 42 runs in their eight overs to choke Rajasthan at the Eden Gardens.

Earlier, Karthik led from the front with a fluent 52 and Andre Russell muscled 49 not

out to help the hosts overcome a top order collapse and post a competitive 169-7.

Rajasthan off-spinner Krishnappa Gowtham denied Kolkata a flying start, dismissing Sunil Narine and Robin Uthappa in successive overs as the hosts slumped to 51-4 in

eight overs.

Karthik’s calm presence and prolific run have been crucial to Kolkata’s campaign and the right-hander once again shone with the bat to arrest the slide.

He raised 55 precious runs with Shubman Gill (28) to

steady the ship but it was West Indian Russell who provided the late assault to take Kolkata past the 150-mark.

The all-rounder belted five sixes in his 49 not out to change the complexion of the match and was adjudged man-of-the-match.

Delroy James goes hard to the basket for AEK Athens during the FIBA Basketball Champions League.

By Rawle Toney

Andre Russell’s unbeaten 49, including five sixes and three fours, helped KKR post 169 for 7. (©BCCI)

Region 2 to host Independence dominoes competition REGION 2 RDC, as part of Independence celebrations, will host an inter-ministry dominoes competition tomorrow on the lawns of the Regional compound.

The participating teams will come from Police ‘G’ Division, Anna Regina Fire Station, Department of Education, Essequibo Techni-

cal Institute, Department of Health, along with the Departments of Personnel, Accounts and Drainage and Irrigation of the RDC. Meanwhile, the RDC is in the process of forming a sports body which will engage in regular sporting activities.

According to Councillor

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

Naitram, “The RDC wishes to have a sports body to promote sports and healthy lifestyles in the Region,” Once constituted, the sports club will compete in cricket, football and other sport disciplines. The RDC will also visit other Regions to compete, according to Naitram, who will coordinate the

(Thursday May 24, 2018)

COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) (1) (2) (1) (2)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: Sunrisers Hyderbaad Delhi Daredevils Today’s Quiz: Who took most wickets in the preliminary round of IPL 2018?

Who struck the highest individual score?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

dominoes competition, which will commence at 13:00hrs.

Meanwhile the Department of Sport, in collaboration with the National Sports Commission, will also host an inter-secondary school table tennis competition today and tomorrow in the Auditorium of the Anna Regina Secondary School.

The competition will cater for Under-14, U-16 and U-18 racquet-wielders from the seven secondary schools in the Region. The coordinator is Region 2 Sports Organiser Debra Daniels with support from the Essequibo/Pomeroon Table Tennis Association.

Trophies will be donated by the NSC and RDC for the activities. (Elroy Stephney)

WITH Guyana’s men’s basketball team set to compete in the June 24–30 Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) tournament in Suriname, the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) announced yesterday that the team will travel to Barbados to face the men from the ‘Land of the Flying Fish’ from June 8 to 10 at the Sir Garfield Sports Complex in Bridgetown.

The last time Guyana played in Barbados was at the 2000 CBC tournament which was then named the CARICOM basketball championship. With Lugard Mohan as captain, Guyana finished third at the tournament; their highest placing yet.

The GABF only last week named a shortlisted squad for both the men’s and women’s teams for the tournament in Paramaribo, but, as it relates to the engagement in Barbados, the composition of the teams is not yet known.

Nigel Hinds, president of the GABF, stated that his federation is prepared to invest as much as possible in order to see Guyana better their 1994 second-place finish in the regional basketball showpiece.

The Guyanese Men are in Group A, with hosts and rivals Suriname, St Lucia, Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines while Group B comprises Barbados, Bermuda, Antigua & Barbuda, Haiti and Montserrat.

“Guyana is investing heavily in the CBC Championship, with the expectation that Guyana Men will win the Male Championship for the first time. The GABF is confident that we will succeed in this venture,” the GABF had stated in a release when announcing the provisional team for the championship.

The Men will feature a number of overseas-based players, led by Gordon James, Shawn James, Delroy James, Anthony Moe, Ray Victor, Kevin Mickle, Kevon Wiggins, Richard Mohandatt, Nikon McGregor and Juon Nicholson.

The Guyana-based basketball players selected for trials are: Shaine Webster, Timothy Thompson, Shelroy Thomas, Stanton Rose, Harold Adams, Orlando Glasgow, Terron Welch, Chris Williams, Travis Burnett, Dominique Vincente, Nathan Saul, Dave Causeway, Travis Belgrave, Akeem Crandon, Nikkoli Smith, Domair Gladstone and Curt English. Other overseas-based players are under consideration.

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, May 24, 2018

Ministry of the Presidency, King’s Jewellery World honours Doris

Troy Doris is handed a plaque of achievement from Minister of State Joseph Harmon in the presence of Director of Sport Christopher Jones (first from left), Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Service, Reginald Brotherson (second from left) and other MoTP staff.

TROY Doris, on April 14, in Australia created history for Guyana when he leaped 16.88 metres to win gold in the Men’s Triple Jump at the Commonwealth Games in Australia.

He joined Aliann Pompey (Athletics 400m, 2002), Winfield Braithwaite (Boxing, 1978) and Philip Aaron Edwards (Athletics, 1930) as winners of gold medals for Guyana at the

Commonwealth Games and first to do so in a field event.

Since arriving in Guyana on Monday, compliments of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Doris has been showered with praises and gifts from the likes of Mayor Patricia Chase-Green and the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA).

However, yesterday, Doris was received gifts from King’s Jewellery World as

well as a plaque of appreciation from the Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP).

While at Kings, Doris was greeted by Harrinand Persaud, the entity’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) who presented him with a oneof-a-kind shirt pin and the internationally famous cricket band in recognition of his achievement.

During his presentation at the MOTP, Doris met Minis-

ter of State Joseph Harmon along with Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Service, Reginald Brotherson and other MoTP staff.

Minister Harmon lauded Doris for his achievement, while stating that his win was heralded by all Guyanese when the Golden Arrowhead was hoisted at the Gold Coast.

Leading up to the Olympic Games in Brazil in 2016,

Harrinand Persaud, CFO of King’s Jewellery World, makes a presentation to Troy Doris yesterday.

Troy Doris was considered by pundits around the world as the one to challenge USA’s Christian Taylor for the gold, especially after resetting the country’s national record in the triple jump (17.18 metres).

But the Guyanese, competing at the games for the first time, finished a commendable seventh-place (16.90 metres). Fast-forward to 2018, Doris, 29,

now stands atop of the Commonwealth as champion.

The Chicago native and former standout at the University of Iowa only started to represent Guyana in 2015 and since then, has left an imprint on track and field, carrying the Golden Arrowhead around the world, from the IAAF Diamond League to now, the Commonwealth Games.

Franchises happy with squads heading into 2018/2019 PCL season ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Defending 4-Day champions Guyana Jaguars are happy with the 15-man squad they have assembled for the upcoming 2018/2019 Professional Cricket League (PCL) season.

The Jaguars, having won four 4-day titles back-toback will be on the hunt for their fifth title, but won’t be complacent in their approach for the upcoming season.

Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Anand Sanasie, thinks “the continued investment we have made in youth, to develop along the current system on a pathway to West Indies, continues to be the approach we will take”.

That has worked for us so far. We, however, expect the teams to be even more competitive this season and we think the mix of youth and experience will serve us well.”

The Barbados Pride who

were second place in both the 4-Day and 50-overs formats have added what they call “an experienced fast bowler, who we think will support the cast of the younger bowlers in the team.

We think the draft went well for us,” according to Chairman of Selectors, Hendy Wallace.

Chairman of Selectors, Leeward Islands Stuart Williams, is also happy with the picks and thinks “the addition of the two fast bowlers and the younger players will create the balance needed for the team to improve its standings.”

Head coach, Jamaica Scorpions, Robert Samuels, thinks his squad is balanced, but he is more fascinated that “there are five other Jamaicans being picked up by other franchises”.

President and CEO of the Windward Islands Volcanoes, Gregory Shillingford,

says, “The players selected form part of an overall programme which is developing, and they are confident in the process which has so far helped them to win in the 50-overs format.”

Tevin Imlach

Head coach, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, Kelvin Williams, whose team placed bottom of the

pack in the 4-Day, is optimistic that the team will improve their chances with the “mix of experience and youth in the team. We think we have a rounded team and with the addition of a fast bowler, we think we will be competitive.”

The draft for the upcoming season was held Wednesday at the headquarters in Antigua and was done under the guidance of Auditing Firm, KPMG. The squads (listed below) will participate in the 4-Day Championship and the Super50 Cup scheduled to start later this calendar year.

Full squads are: Guyana Jaguars Veerasammy Permaul, Leon Johnson, Vishaul Singh, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Gudakesh Motie, Tagenrine Chanderpaul, Keon Joseph, Anthony Bramble. Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd – Draft picks – Ramaal Lewis*, Christopher Barn-

well, Tevin Imlach, Ashaya Persaud, Javier Spencer* Barbados Pride Anthony Alleyne, Shamarh Brooks, Jonathan Carter, Dominic Drakes, Justin Greaves, Keon Harding, Chemar Holder, Shayne Moseley, Shamar Springer, Hayden Walsh Jr* - Draft picks – Marquino Mindley, Kevin Stoute, Aaron Jones, Tevyn Walcott, Mario Rampersaud Leeward Islands Hurricanes Rahkeem Cornwall, Montcin Hodge, Jahmar Hamilton, Keacy Carty, Jeremiah Louis, Devon Thomas, Terrance Warde, Sheeno Berridge, Akeem Saunders, Ross Powell – Draft Picks – Damion Jacobs*, Sheldon Cottrell*, Oralndo Peters, Nelson Bolan, Jason Peters Jamaica Scorpions Nikita Miller, Assad Fudadin*, Derval Green, Chadwick Walton, John Campbell, Brandon King, Paul

Palmer Jr, Aldaine Thomas, Andre McCarthy, Fabian Allen – Draft Picks – Oshane Thomas, Reynard Leveridge, Kenroy Williams*, Denis Bulli, Steven Taylor Windward Islands Volcanoes Devon Smith, Shane Shillingford, Kyle Mayers*, Obed McCoy, Tyron Theophile, Roland Cato, Audy Alexander, Shermon Lewis, Delorn Johnson, Alick Athanaze – Draft Picks – Kirk Edwards*, Ray Jordon, Tarryck Gabriel, Denis Smith, Josh Thomas Trinidad and Tobago Red Force Kyle Hope*, Tion Webster, Yannic Cariah, Amir Jangoo, Denesh Ramdin, Imran Khan, Daniel St Clair, Bryan Charles, Khary Pierre, Jason Mohammed – Draft Picks – Odean Smith*, Jeremy Solozano, Marlon Richards, Isaiah Rajah, Joshua Da Silva.

National Sports Awards 2018

Norton reassures Government’s commitment towards sports development

See Page 22

Guyana Chronicle Chief Photographer Adrian Narine collects his award.

The respective winners pose with special invitees Tuesday night at the NSC Awards Ceremony.

‘Lady Jags’ roar from behind to a 2 – 2 exciting draw against Bermuda

Brianne Dessa (#15) is swarmed by her teammates after scoring Guyana’s equalizing goal against Bermuda. The two sides played to a 2 – 2 draw.

IN their very first meeting in international women’s football, Guyana and Bermuda played to a 2 – 2 draw when they collide in Group ‘E’ of the CONCACAF Caribbean Qualifying tournament at the Leonora Track and Field Centre.

Following the opening game of the double- header which saw Barbados clawing to a deserving 2 – 1 win over Suriname, Guyana and Bermuda took the field and didn’t disappoint the vocal crowd at the ‘West Side’ venue.

Guyana’s Nathalie Nedd starting in goal, had two goalkeeping-blunders when she couldn’t had held on to two steamers from

BEATEN! Bermuda’s goalkeeper Micah Pond was beaten by Guyana’s Cameo Hazlewood’s shot in the 58th minute of their contest on Wednesday at the Leonora Track and Field Centre. (Adrian Narine photos)

Bermuda’s Teyah Lindo.

Lindo’s first goal came five minutes into the game when she caught Nedd a little off her line and fired one home from approximately 25 yards out from goal.

However, two minutes later, Brianne Dessa equalized for Guyana following a nice build up with Mariam El-Masri and Calaigh Copeland.

The scores would remain levelled (1 – 1) until the 16th minute, when Lindo scored her second on the night; a long range shot taken from a free-kick.

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The Bermudans would hold onto the 2 – 1 advantage until the 58th minute when Cameo Hazlewood scored a free-kick which was hit too hard for Bermuda’s Micah Pond to handle in goal.

Hazlewood had a suburb game attacking for Guyana and could’ve scored the winner if her first touch on a one-on-one with Pond was a little softer.

Guyana will next play Suriname on Friday in a game which Coach Dr Ivan Joseph said is a must-win and one where the Lady Jags will have to show their goalscoring prowess given the fact Barbados had already secured their three points.

THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018